Of Monsters and Men
by LadyShillingford
Summary: His search for power and revenge is all-consuming. Will his leaving change her into a Monster? Or will she remain among men. Among her comrades? Will she give up on her love and will she still be able to smile? Will she ever be able to forget him? Can he forget her? FemNarutoXSasuke. Rated M, for obvious reasons. (Slightly AU). Please Review.
1. Chapter 1 R

**This is a rewrite. Enjoy.**

 **I do not own the characters.**

 **I'm just a big fan.**

 **Of Monsters and Men-Chapter 1**

The fight had been going on for a while now.

The landscape had taken a severe beating and her chakra reserves had taken more than just a critical hit. She was bleeding profusely and her body began to feel as if it was being weighed down heavily. She moved sluggishly as if she had subjected herself intointo wearing Gai sensei's ultimate training weights.

She felt exhausted.

She also felt solace in the fact that she was not the only one struggling.

She was exhausted...but she knew, he was too.

She just needed to outlast him.

That she could do.

She was a powerhouse and so was the monster within her.

She was not going down before him. Believe it.

Uzumaki Naruto was facing off Uchiha Sasuke at the Valley of the End.

This was more than just a battle of wills. Only the stronger of the two would conquer and/or survive.

Sasuke was in his accursed form, using the disgusting powers that was forced upon him by the slimy creep, Orochimaru.

Naruto felt an odd mixture of emotions.

Disgust. Pity. Desperation. Sadness. Hopelessness.

Feelings she had not allowed to feel for years, threatening to swallow her whole.

"Why are you doing this? " Naruto's brain had failed to compcomprehend Sasuke's twisted reason for deflection. "You need to come back to Konoha! With me! It's where you belong! "

Her voice was a bit shaky, cracking beneath the weight of her feelings. There was just too much pain. Too much confusion. And just too much pain.

The Kyūbi's power flowing through her was clearly affecting her, after all she had been relying on the fox's power for quite sometime now. Never before had she used so much of its power before. She could feel the dark energy swirling malt through her, pushing up a rage buried so deep within, she wasn't sure if it was hers at all.

Ever so often it escaped her in the firms of grunts, sharks and gnashing teeth.

Usually she would have fought it, but now... she was desperate, allowing it to take over. She'd fi anything and everything in get power to bring the Uchiha back home.

His eyes were blazing red from his activated sharingan. He stared her down, looking at her as if she was lower than the dirt beneath her own feet.

Cringing, she watched as the makings from his cursed seal slither its way all over his body. Naruto prayed that he would exhaust himself soon, get body could only handle so much and no more.

With a scoff, Sasuke finally answered her question, with a question.

"Why do you think I would need to explain myself to you, dobe."

Naruto did her best to reign in the animalistic sound that erupted from get cheesy at his insult.

"You owe it to me!"

He blinked slowly, as if just comprehending that it was his teammate that stood before him and not merely a cockroach.

"It's your fault, you are a poison. " He started.

Naruto's brows crinkled in confusion.

"Are you fucking insane? How is it my fault? And what the heel does that have to do with anything? "

"It has everything to do with this! " Sasuke bellowed back. "You are a ducking poison! Your eyes. Your smile. Your laugh. this is all your fault! "

Naruto was taken aback by his revelation.

How dare he blame this on her ?! It wasn't her fault. It was the snake's fault. It was he that was poisoning Sasuke's mind.

His eyes hardened, his gaze focusing on her.

"Your smiles are like stabs to my chest, Naruto. Everything about you is venomous. Your cheery attitude, and those blue eyes of yours! "

Naruto gaped at him, sputtering incoherently!

"You're not making sense! "

His eyes narrowed.

"I know what I have to do. The only bond I can ever have, is the one of hated between my brother and myself, it's the only way to avenge my parents and my entire clan. But you, " he hissed, "You wormed your way into my life. And somehow. ...you've weakened my resolve. You started to make me think, that the only bond I needed was the one we shared. That our bond would make me stronger. ...but that was a lie. You were purposely leading me astray from my plans! From my path!"

"Hatred doesn't make you stronger, " she snapped back.

He ignored her.

"I need to kill my brother, and you can't stop me. I must sever our bond. It's the only way." He stood straighter. "I kill you and become stronger. You are my weakness and with you out of the picture, I can easily accomplish my original goal. "

"Your only weakness is your anger and hatred, Sasuke. Pull yourself together. You can't leave. You don't have to! If you want I'll stay away from you when you come back. ...I'll, I'll switch teams and everything," she pleaded angrily, grinding her teeth, trying to deal with the pre shiny ruling through her body.

Her vision blurred for a quick moment and she blinked back tears.

With every passing second, Naruto could feel the situation slipping out of her hands.

"What do I have to do to help you?"

The young boy sneered.

"That's fairly simple. Drop dead. "

That stung .

"How could you want to kill me? You've said it yourself, I...I'm your friend."

His eyes hardened as he spat, "You and your foolish friendship is not the bond I need. There is nothing for you to fight for. "

"Yes there is! I'm fighting for you to come home. To bring you back." Her vision blurred again. "Please don't do this. Please d-don't leave me behind."

She didn't care anymore. She allowed herself to cry.

"Disgusting, "he hissed out, strong back, "Look at yourself. You sound like that weakling Sakura. Pathetic."

Naruto's face gushed with embarrassment.

His words burning.

Sasuke had been the only one to ever acknowledge her.

Without him around, she would be lonely. If he left. ...she'd be alone again. There would be no one to distract her from the animosity of the villagers.

His silent but brooding presence over the years had been her comfort whenever the hollow pain in her chest tried to suffocate her.

The first six years of her life was filed with solitude and despair. There was only so much a six year old could take. She had been close to her breaking point , the dark voices within her clawing to the surface. It had terrified her.

They still do. ...

But that was a time brute she had met Sasuke. She refuse to go willingly back to those empty days. She would fight for him. He had to come back, with her or the voices would come back. ...

She just needed to explain herself slowly, more clearly for him to understand.

"I'll be alone, if you leave. ..I don't want to be alone again. Please. "

"Alone? I've been alone as well dobe."

"Lies! I've always been there! "

"You no longer matter. "

"I've always mattered, to you at least! If not as a friend, then as a rival! You don't show it openly, but you do! Small gestures go a long way, " she laughed bitterly. "You have no damn clue, how much they meant to me! And here you are! Intent on killing me! So I don't know anymore. Did you ever mean what you said, the way you acted when no one was around? "

She gave him a moment to deny what she said. He did not.

Her heart skipped a beat. His sharingan was deactivated. She watched as he took a hesitant step towards her and her heart leapt for joy!

He understood! He was coming home! To her!

She raised her hands to him, arms outstretched. Her eyes playing. ...welcoming.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, focusing on her face, searching.

"You're doing it again," he snarled.

Naruto sucked in air quickly, her stomach clenching as he pulled back from her. She dropped her arms.

"I'm not doing anything -"

"Liar," he bellowed, activating his sharingan anew with his anger, "these feelings, you create within me have no use! " He hit his chest with an open palm, as if trying to dislodge something deep within. "They make me forget. they made me think I need you. "

He shook his head.

"I will not give you the chance to influence me again! I don't know how you do it, but I will allow you to replace my hatred. "

His face was contorted in a rage as he drew on the power of the cursed seal. Naruto watched in horror as his skin grew grey and hand like wings storied from beneath his shoulder blades, ripping his shirt. His hair grew, taking on a bluish hue, his features darkened by the black swirling marks.

He looked terrifying.

Naruto's eyes widened as she felt the immeasurable amount by which his chakra was just rampaging around her. It seemed to thickened the air and threatened to suffocate her beneath its weight.

And even though she hated to do it, there was only one thing she could do in order to keep up with the onslaught of power. She had to draw from the monster inside her. His intent was to kill her and she had no choice. She couldn't even hesitate and for once neither did the creature within her. It fed her all the chakra her coils could handlehandle. The Uchiha's thirst for blood was not good for either of them.

He always did hate that clan.

Immediately she felt overwhelmed by the anger, the power and the evil intent of the Fox.

' **KILL! KILL, KILL, KILL! KILL OR BE KILLED!** '

Naruto stumbled for a moment, locking her knees with her will so that she won't fall, so that she didn't loose control.

No, that wasn't going to happen, she was going to beat him within an inch if his life, then drag him home so that Tsunade could help him! She did not thirst for his death.

' **FOOLISH HUMAN,** ' The Fox bellowed in her mind.

She winced and growled, cupping her temples.

"Shut up!" she roared. "Do you ever shut the fuck up?! Be gone!!"

She banished the creature further into her mindscape.

it was Sasuke's turn to gape at Naruto, startled for a moment at her outburst.

Who was she talking to?

He took in the change in her appearance; the whisker marks on her cheeks darkened and widened, her already sharp canines grew longer and sharper. Her nails lengthening into claws.

What shocked him the most was the chnage in her eyes. Blue bled to purple, then to a deep red, her pupils becoming slitted.

She looked dangerous.

She looked wild.

She watched as Sasuke drew on his chakra. Blue lightening forming in his hands, creating the sounds of a thousands of birds- Chidori.

Naruto did the same- forming a come, which helped her form the blue spiraling sphere- Rasengan.

She allowed the clone to dispel.

Naruto focused on Sasuke.

Her slitted eyes were hard now.

The time for talking was over. She failed to convince him with words, so she was going to have to beat some sense into him.

Sasuke charged and jumped, and she followed. Their attacks clashed.

And all Naruto remembered was the building energies and then...nothing

O.M.A.M

She did not know how long it took for her to regain consciousness, But the heavy rain woke her.

Immediately she gasped.

Breathing was unnaturally hard for her to do. It was hard for her to even gasp for the much needed oxygen.

She gasped hungrily, choking on the blood that filled her mouth.

Coughs shook her body and she was soon racked with an unimaginable amount of pain. the kind of pain she had never felt before. She shakily reached a hand to her chest, attempting to grasp at the fabric, but grabbed nothing.

There was a hole in her chest.

A Hole.

Sasuke's chidori had pierced her thorax, just nearly missing her heart.

'He really tried to kill me, ' she thought.

The pain in her chest became too much to bear and she cried out in anguish. Deep inside something shattered and the realization of Sasuke's betrayal finally hit home. It reached her mind.

"Naruto!" a voice cried out to her as she faded off into the darkness.

 **'He tried to kill us.'**

*

 **'I've never needed you like I do right now.' -Noah Cryus**

*

So you know the usual; reviews are awesome.

Disclaimer 2.0 : Of Monsters and Men was inspired by the story He had no idea. This is my way of honoring the memory of that story that was never finished as well as twisting it a bit to fit my liking and corrupted mind. You guys can go ahead and read it if you like. But as I have stated before I have only staked claims on half the story.


	2. Chapter 2 R

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters**

 **Of Monsters and Men- Chapter 2**

Sasuke for a moment, marvelled at power Naruto had displayed. The red chakra that had oozed out of her was thick and smothering.

He had no idea that she was hiding so much power from him.

It infuriated him.

When their attacks clashed, Sasuke was surprised that he was even alive and it irked him terribly so, especially since he knew that even though he was trying to kill her, she was not doing the same.

How much more of an idiot could she be?

She spared his life.

She went easy on him.

She had been so strong .

He remembered the feeling of his chidori connecting with Naruto's skin, the telltale scent of burning flesh and sizzling fat. Bony ribs gave way, crumbling beneath his attack, his fist powering through the soft tissue of her lungs, then ribs and then nothing.

He shoved his hand right through her.

Naruto had stared back at him, eyes wide in disbelief. She gasped once, her hands fluttering up to rest on the arm running right through her.

Her hands was cold.

She gasped again and her knees buckled, her eyes rolling to the back of her head and as she fell backwards, his arm was pulled from her chest with a loud and sickening squelching sound.

He did it.

She was dead.

He watched as her body crumbled to the ground and he watched, fascinated as she ceased to move.

The smirk left his face as soon as the first raindrops hit his bruised skin, reminding him of how much time had passed and how little he had until Naruto's backup would arrive.

He needed to leave.

And he needed to do it now...but first he needed to...He had to check, to make sure.

As he stood over the blonde, his headband of the Leaf fell from his head, his eye catching the scratch that cut the Leaf insignia cleanly in half.

The dobe had actually managed to scratch his forehead. Sasuke found himself kneeling over the blonde, foreheads almost touching.

He couldn't hear her breathing.

His chest felt as if it was on fire.

He killed her.

Shouldn't he be happy?

He was happy!

Right?

Then what was this feeling?

His fingers shook violently and he placed them on the side of her neck, above her carotid.

He waited patiently, silently for a pulse. Pleading for the reassuring pulsation, anything to indicate that blood was still coursing through her body.

A fair share of it was pooling beneath her, staining her blonde tresses red.

The ache inin his chest multiplied by thousands, exploding to new heights. He gasped for air, his vision tunneling.

He was going to pass out.

No, no he wasn't!

Sasuke clenched his teeth, squinted and violently thumped his right temple, with a closed fist.

'Uchiha's never passed out over such a trivial matter,' he scolded himself.

'Did Uchihas cry?', another side of him wondered.

He couldn't tell.

His face was wet, but that could just be the rain.

Willing his hand to stop shaking and with the sleeve of his arm protector that was not doused in blood, he shakily wiped the mud and blood from her face.

He wanted to remember her face.

Burn it into his memory.

When her face was clean as he could get it, he stood on shaky legs, backing away from the corpse of his dead teammate/friend.

Oh fuck, his chest was burning.

Stumbling to the ground, Sasuke emptied his stomach.

It felt as if his body was protesting at what he had done.

With a growl he pressed his fist into his stomach, punishing his body for its reaction.

" What is done, had to be done", he hissed aloud.

It had to be done.

He needed to be strong.

He screamed his rage, his anger his heartache to the muddy earth.

O.M.A.M

Kabuto had fetched him from the battlefield and if it wasn't for him, Sasuke was not sure he would have made it to Orochimaru's lair on his own. He had very little chakra left. He was worn out. Worn down.

Physically.

Emotionally.

Mentally.

Orochimaru had personally congratulated Sasuke for his decision, before leaving him to Kabuto who led him to his quarters. He was told he had a week to recover, not one day more or less.

Punctuality was very important to the Lord and they were on a tight schedule.

Kabuto finally left the young boy, and Sasuke shuffled into the adjoining room where he scrubbed himself clean, washing away all the evidence of Naruto's blood and the dirt and sweat of their final battle.

Finally clean, Sasuke allowed himself to collapse unto the bed, he covered his face and he breathed a shaky sigh.

Slowing his breathing and his thudding heart, Sasuke began to ponder why he had thought she had died.

She was like a cockroach. Hard to kill.

He chuckled in disbelief as a huge wave of relief crashed over him.

When Kabuto had fetched him, just before they shunshin away.

Sasuke heard the faint gurgling of the broken girl as she began gasping.

She was alive.

Sasuke chortle like a mad man.

He was happy...

He was happy.

And before he could analyze why that made him happy, he began to drift to sleep.

It was a pity about the Mangekyo Sharingan.

 *****

 **'I know you don't love the same, I know you've been diving through pain . '- Big Sean**


	3. Chapter 3 R

**Disclaimer: Same old, Same old.**

Chapter 3-Of Monster and Men

She was told that when she was found, the Kyūbi had already begun to heal her wounds, stitching flesh closed with the dark red energy of its chakra.

And by the time they had reached back to the village, all but one of her wounds were completely healed and Tsunade was forced to stitch close the wound herself.

Naruto was finally coming to.

The first thing she heard was the whirring and the beeping of the machines that was monitoring her progress.

The second was the scent of the antibacterial soap and the bleach they used to clean the hospital linens.

The sharp scent of blood.

She began to inhale slowly and the pain of newly patched lungs opening stung smartly.

Breathing hurt.

Fallen lashes fluttered lightly on puffy cheeks as she tried to open her eyes. They refused, her eyelids feeling heavily weighted.

Her toes curled in her effort to try and squint her eyes open. It worked...and work a moment, all she saw was bleating white swirls.

Too bright.

She groaned, giving up, allowing her eyes to close once more.

Instead, she focused on her body, feeling for broken bones, torn flesh or any signs of heavy injuries.

A dull and low ache was pulsating from her chest.

Shakily, she lifted a heavy hand to grasps the thin fabric that rested against her chest.

Her breathing seemed as if it got heavier, laboured.

The machine monitoring her heartbeat seemed to have gotten louder, the beeping more frequent.

As she pressed her open palm to the hollow ache in her breast bone, her heart began to stutter as if struggling not to give out.

She begged for this feeling to go.

She grimaced, her face marred by the deep ache she was feeling throughout her body. All the way down into her curled toes,

The machines got louder, as if screaming at her.

She gasped, gulping in air and she writhe, feeling the pain numb her mind. Tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to relax, trying to stop seizing at every painful twitch of her chest.

She dry heaved, her empty stomach clenching, flipping,trying to bring something up. It only brought up acidic bile and hot air.

From her left, Naruto hearddd a quick shuffle followed by light and quick footsteps. Large hands slid behind her back and turnt her onto her side.

She shuddered as she heard her vomit hit the floor.

'Who?'

She inhaled deeply, recognizing the scent of her old teacher Naruto confined her pain into the back of her mind and she struggled once more to open her eyes.

It was Kakashi.

Embrassedshe begun to tug herself from his grip.

"You shouldn't do that Naruto, you might 're open your wound, " he hummed, pulled her hand from her chest. "Take your time, you're not fully healed as yet."

She stated up blearily at Kakashi's face as he began to prop her up on the bed, fluffing the pillows behind her.

"Why are you here?" She cloaked, licking drynlips, grimacing at the taste of her own upchuck.

Hatake Kakashi, stood by her bed, his one visible eye focused on his student. The usual pornbook that he had in his hand, no where to found. The masked man was often hard to read, but the fact that, that ever present book was no where to be found was an indicator of how worried he was.

"I was told to keep watch, Naruto-chan, how are feeling?"

' **Like a failure** ,' a thought whispered quickly through her mind.

She blushed furiously and balked in horror as he took a towel from the rack hanging by the door, stopped gracefully and began to wipe the mess from the floor.

"Please don't do that!" She wailed softly.

Kakashi ignored her turning to rinse the towel in the hospital room's sink.

Squeezing her eyes closed, she covered her face with trembling hands.

He must hate her now.

Of course he did.

She had failed to bring back Sasuke, his favourite student, and now, now he was babysitting her, most likely on the order of Tsunade-baachan's order.

"Are you okay, Naruto, do I need to call for a nurse?"

"No!" She blurted out, her eyes tearing open, "I'm fine."

Kakashi stood at the foot of the bed, peering at her. His eyes were hard.

Oh God, he did hate her.

"How long have I been out?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Approximately 6 days." He answered.

Sasuke was long gone now.

God, she felt tired.

She nodded once before speaking.

"I'm sorry I failed," she mumbled, her words slurring a bit.

She felt exhausted, drained.

Her body began to relax into the pillows.

"I failed to convince him..."

She turned her bleary eyes to him as he hushed her.

"Go to sleep Naruto, you need your rest."

*

 **'Hand over heart, I'm praying, that I'm going to make it out alive.'- Selena Gomez**

 *****


	4. Chapter 4 R

**Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto**

Chapter 4-Of Monster and Men

Naruto woke slowly, feeling restless.

She dreamt of that as whole.

Annoyed, she wrestled her way from beneath the thick covers of blankets that seemed to want to smother her.

Judging from the scent, she figured that she was on Kakashi's bed. She wasn't exactly sure, why, but she guessed that he was worried for her?

Her nose crinkle in distaste as she remembered the incident that led her to be swaddled in his bed.

This seemed to be a bad month for her, it was as if all her teammates were after her blood.

She had been wandering aimlessly around the village, deep in thought, nursing her aching chest. The sharp pain had receded to a dull ache that She told herself that she could live with.

But what she couldn't figure out was why the wound on her chest and it's companion was healing so poorly. This had near happened before, it usually took days for her to recover, not weeks.

And the pain was so intense,that at a times, she would quickly be soaked in a cold sweat, that would cause her to shiver even beneath the hot Konoha Sun.

She guessed that this was maybe how Sasuke felt after the betrayal of his brother.

She sighed and told herself to stop whining.

She had just been released from the hospital.

She should be rejoicing.

She hated that place.

For weeks Tsunade and Kakashi tried their best to cheer her up, to distract her.

Tsunade baachan had even offered for Naruto to spend the day by her side.

Naruto refused, content with strolling aimlessly all through the village.

Naruto was sure that Sasuke's betrayal was her fault. She tormented herself with the guilt she felt and the pain of loss. Never before had she lost someoneeee so...close to her. The Sandaime Hokage, probably but they were not as close as she and Sasuke had been.

With Sasuke gone, Naruto felt as if something was missing. Another heavy sigh escaped her.

Lost in her thoughts, Naruto didn't see the attack coming.

A chakra reinforced fist suddenly connected brutally with hercheek.

She was thrown to the ground by the sudden force.

Naruto swung quickly to her feet, crouching low, in a defensive position, taking in the individual that had attacked her.

It was Sakura.

The raging girl had her own arm outstretched after the punch she had thrown.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto mumbled hoarselt, she had not used her voice much in a while.

Naruto had not seen the girl for weeks and it was the first time that they were seeing each other after the failed retrieval mission.

So why was she attacking her?

"Don't you dare 'Sakura-chan', me" the pink haired girl hissed lowering her arm, "How could you?" She pointed a finger accussingly at Naruto, "You promised! "

Naruto straightened herself from her defensive position.

"I know and I am sorry,", she answered taking a towards Sakura.

Sakura stepped back, her face flushed red in anger.

"No don't come near me, Naruto! "Her voice was high pitched and she trembled as she clenched her fists. "Don't ever come near me again!"

Naruto couldn't understand what was happening.

Confusion was written all over the jinchuriki's face as her mouth opened and closed is shock.

A crowd had begin to gather circling the two girls. Naruto looked around, flinching at the hard glares directed at her. They were whispering not too softly to each other.

The villagers were watching her, waiting for her to mess up.

Naruto faintly heard the whispered insults.

She swallowed hard.

This was bringing back too many memories.

"Sakura-chan this is not the place..."

"Like hell it is!" Sakura shrieked. "You promised, Naruto. You promised, that you would have brought him home!"

Naruto sighed.

It was always about him.

She should have seen it coming.

Of course she remembered the promise, she made it to Sakura before she had left.

And of course Naruto knew she had failed and was already blaming herself enough for it.

"I-I, let me explain. I tried -"

"No, Naruto, let me explain! I don't want to hear your lame excuses! I knew! I knew from the start that I should have never trusted you. You would never be able to bring him back. After all, what have you ever achieved? You are not the deadlast for nothing! Sasuke was right! You are dobe. You are worthless!"

The crowd watched silently, fascinated by the display and the open dislike for the blonde jinchuriki.

Naruto started to feel nauseous and then irate at the wet feeling on her face. She used the back of her hand to wipe at the feeling, her eyes widening when she realised that the wetness was blood.

Her nose was bleeding.

Sakura had hit her hard enough that she got a nose bleed.

The blonde unconsciously took another step towards Sakura, the dull pain in her chest spiking, making her wheeze slightly.

"I hate you Naruto! "Saukra shouted before spitting at Naruto's feet.

An eerie silence descended upon the crowd.

Never in her life had Naruto felt so embarrassed. So low. So worthless.

Naruto focused on the wetness on her hand. The red blood mocking her.

She could no longer delude herself. It was not the anger that was talking. Sakura truly hated her. Her second and last teammate had turned her back on her.

For the second time in a span of a few sorry weeks, Naruto felt as if something shattered within her. And this time, she swore she heard the shards clanking to the floor of her inner soul.

A monstrous roar echoed in her head. It was raged filled and terrifying.

An anguished expression crossed her face briefly before she schooled her face into a blank stare that Neji would have been proud of.

Naruto wiped the back of her hand on her orange jumpsuit.

She hissed, as the dark voice within her urged her to answer the pink girl. Urged her to murder the girl before the villagers to show her dominance.

Her power.

Her mouth opened before she could stop herself.

"If I'm so worthless, relative to you of course, Sakura-chan, why is it that you never retrieved the Uchiha yourself, " Naruto sneered, her body moving, circling the girl as a hunter would. "Oh! I know. It's simply because, it's you who are truly worthless. You knew that you had no chance and you knew, no...you know I am worth more to him, than you could ever wish to be. And that's saying something, isn't it, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura gasped in rage, and lashed out against Naruto with her fist. Naruto swore she heard her neck snap from the force of the punch.

"Don't you dare say that! " Sakura bellowed in a panic stricken voice.

Turning slowly to face the girl, Naruto touched her busted lip be for chuckling darkly. She took a step towards Sakura, teeth bare in a not so friendly smile. Her eyes turning a light shade of purple before returning to the icy glare that Sakura had only seen Sasuke perfect.

Naruto grabbed Sakura by the front of her shirt.

"Hit me again and I will fucking kill you."

Gasps escaped the crowd and the people began to murmur.

Naruto didn't care what they were saying, this was what they were waiting for anyway. Waiting for her to fuck up.

"So, she's finally showing her true colours."

"I knew the monster couldn't hide her ways forever."

"So vicious!"

Sakura's knees buckled, as the blonde girl released her from her grip.

Sakura fell to the ground, terrified, smothered by killed intent, gazing up into the icy blue gaze of her ex-teammate.

Naruto's heart was thumping, echoing loudly in her ears and for a moment, time slowed and she could only hear her heartbeat and the villagers' angry whispers.

Sakura trembled at her feet.

 **'Always playing the victimvictim,'** a dark voice cackled, **'Should have been an actress'**

"Maa, Maa, what is going on here, " a lazy voice asked, "are we having a problem? Sakura-chan, can you get up? "

Naruto didn't even flinch as Kakashi rested a hand on top of her head and ruffled her hair.

"Sensei," cried Sakura in relief.

"Why are my cute little students fighting?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto pursedher lips and looked away. She watched, confused for a moment as Shikamaru, Kiba and Choji began ordering the villagers to disperse from the area.

Begrudgingly the villagers did add they were told.

"Luckily for you Sakura, Shikamaru and the others called me. Who knows what could have happened?"

None of the boys moved to help Sakura, instead they chose to remain standing behind Kakashi and the blonde girl. They looked displeased. They had overheard the altercation and they were not to happy with Sakura.

Naruto had done everything she could when it came to the revival mission. They all did.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru murmured.

Sakura flinched.

"I think you shouldgo home, Sakura, " Kakashi said after a pregnant pause.

Sakura nodded quickly before rushing off home, her eyes, lingering on the savage look on Naruto's face.

With a shaky sigh, Naruto began to claw at her heart, her face relaxing.

"Naruto," Kiba started, unsure.

She grunted.

"Are you okay?" Choji finished.

She grunted again.

She wa slightly amused that she was starting to sound like the broody bastard.

A bark of laughter escaped her. Then light giggles.

They all looked down at the small girl, startled.

She didn't stop.

Their expressions was too funny.

"Sensei," Shikamaru began,"I think Naruto may be in shock."

"I think so too. " Kakashi answered, steering Naruto in the direction of her house. "Let's get you home."

It wasn't until they stood before the girl's apartment, Naruto bent over in boisterous laughter, tears escaping her eyes add if she had heard the best joke ever.

"Now this is something! " She snickered.

She was the only one laughing.

After all who would laugh at the fact that Naruto's home was on fire.

No one, but the girl herself of course.

*

 **'Slowly you've been wearing me down. Pulling my roots out the ground.' -Astrid S**


	5. Chapter 5 R

Disclaimer : *refers to previous chapters.*

Chapter 5- Of Monsters and Men

Naruto had lost her second teammate. Somehow, she had driven them away. There was no Team 7 anymore. She was alone again.

'Good.' The dark voice in her mind whispered harshly.

The only one left...

Kakashi-sensei.

'Let's see how long that lasts.'

Naruto had finally come to the conclusion that Sakura was never really a 'friend'. The pinkette would use every excuse to belittle her, especially in front of her beloved Uchiha. She'd hit her for absurd reasons, vague incidents, minor details.

'The little bitch was always violent towards you….we could, no should, we should get rid of her.' The dark voice continued.

Naruto ignored the voice.

'All your attempts at befriending the little pink fluff had been fruitless. The girl had never agreed to hang out with us and she was always obsessive of the Uchiha.'

Naruto knew that Sakura had always been the number one fan girl of Sasuke. That only should have been a hint, that the girl cared little for her. But Naruto was trying desperately to make friends.

The fan girls hated her, the others hardly tolerated her and the boys, well, she had formed some kind of kinship with the troublemakers of the class- Kiba, Choji and Shikamaru during detention.

'There was never any friendship between us and the Haruno girl. I regret nothing we say to that fool.'

True.

When they had been teammates, the girl had always ignored her or insulted her. Was that truly friendship?

'No.'

Was she even sure she had friends at all?

'We have no friends here.'

Staring at the ceiling of Kakashi's dark bedroom, Naruto made a decision. She would never allow anyone to make her go through the pain of abandonment again.

Sasuke was right. Nothing good can come from things such as bonds and friendship.

'Yes. Being alone hurts less. We will stay alone. Precious people do not exist. Only WE exist.'

Naruto snorted loudly at her previous beliefs.

She knew she would never be able to survive another betrayal. Not mentally at least. She needed to make sure that she never gets hurt again. She would have to be very careful with who she puts her trust in now.

Naruto slipped quietly out of Kakashi's bed, stretching her body languidly and she wondered for a moment where her ex-teacher went.

She could not sense his chakra anywhere close, but still as an extra precaution, she padded quietly to where Kakashi has gathered her things.

The little that Kiba and the others had managed to save from the fire- a bright orange blanket, her Froggy purse and the photo of old team 7.

She scowled at the photo before placing it quietly by Kakashi's own copy.

She would leave it behind, the memories as well.

She wanted nothing to do with them.

O.M.A.M

Sasuke's training had begun two weeks ago and Orochimaru was already making him sweat harder than Kakashi had ever managed to accomplish in his entire team 7 career.

Although every muscle in his body was aching, Sasuke was happy…ish.

This was what he had always wanted. A sensei that was devoting his time only to him.

He was going to get stronger.

He already felt stronger.

The snake would train him and soon, he will be able to kill his brother.

Itachi.

He was the reason for all of his suffering.

He had been an idol for him. The person he had looked up to.

Itachi had been everything that Sasuke wanted to be.

His betrayal had scarred him.

And he was the reason he had to abandon Naruto.

Pure misery was all he had known after the massacre. When he was all alone...

Naruto was the one that had pulled him out of his gloom.

She was literally a bright ball of energy. She was the sun personified.

She was the first one that made him feel something other than pain.

The constant dull aching of his chest increased a little.

He recalled Naruto's words. The one she had said when he faced her down at the Valley of the End. She had begged him not to leave her alone.

What did she mean?

Sasuke knew that the girl was an orphan and that she lived alone...but she had so many friends.

She'd be fine.

Frowning he realized that he had never asked her about her parents. Thinking about…there was a lot of things that Sasuke did not know about the girl.

Who took care of her?

Did she not have a guardian like he had?

Of course not.

He had seen her apartment. No respectable guardian would allow a child to live like that.

Sasuke scoffed at his train of thoughts. Angry that he was still thinking of the dumb blonde. He had defeated her.

Even if he hadn't killed her, he had won.

He was over her. Over their bond. He had left her behind because she was a hindrance. She was the reason why he was weak. She had distracted him from his true goal.

So what!

…..so why was he wondering if she was okay.

His body trembled beneath the weight of his anger, as he realized that somehow, even though she was miles and miles and miles away, she was still worming her way into his thoughts.

*

 **'When it hurts, but it hurts so good, do you take it? Do you break it off?' -Astrid S**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hola.**

 **Here's a quick update.**

 **I do short chapters because it is easy for me to update faster. Approximately every Sunday and Wednesday, I will be posting up a chapter.**

 **I'm not really sure about the poop emoticon, I was just joshing- Mr Miliardo.**

 **I swear.**

 **Also this story was and still is inspired by He had no idea by XHaneliX.**

 **Sorry to disappoint but I will be going for a more grey Naruto...but a dark grey if you know what I mean. Sorry Zellior**

 **It may follow her story line at first, but it will be changing.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto *Weeps silently***

Chapter 6- Of Monsters and Men

Night had fallen.

They sky was clear; the stars were twinkling…but no clouds to count.

Troublesome.

Nara Shikamaru was walking through the dark streets of Konoha. The Hokage had asked for Kakashi, Kiba, Choji and Shikamaru to report to her office and give her the details of the Haruno incident as well as the burning of the Naruto's apartment.

None of the Rookie 9 or Team Gai had seen the pink haired girl after the confrontation.

But, it was not like they were looking for either.

They were disappointed with her behavior. Even Ino admitted that Sakura had gone too far with her obsession over the Uchiha.

Naruto was a nice girl.

Sure she was loud and annoying at times, but everyone liked her lively behavior.

They saw how she was slowly changing from the defection of her best friend. So Sakura's words must have made her snap.

Shikamaru had never heard the blonde girl curse someone so maliciously. He shuddered, remembering the savage look in her eyes.

"Troublesome."

The Nara heir had unconsciously picked up his pace, sweat running down the back of his neck. He halted when he heard the muffled cries from a small dark alley he had just crossed. Listening carefully; deep voices could be heard, but he couldn't make out the words that were spoken.

He debated with himself whether to take the lazy way out and not intervene or be the Chunin he now was and stop whatever the hell was happening.

Clicking his tongue in exasperation, he muttered another "Troublesome", before turning into the alleyway.

He flittered soundlessly from shadow to shadow, undetected.

'Must be citizens' he thought since they did not sense he presence.

Finally, his eyes landed on the five men. Five large men, that stood over a small crouched figure.

His brow furrowed in disbelief, his eyes widening, when he took in the bright orange jumpsuit, that only one person in their not so sane mind would wear.

Naruto was stooping so low, covering her blond hair with her arms as one of the men pissed on her. Another was kicking her in the back of her head. Hard.

The others were laughing, spitting and hissing insults at the blonde.

"Die, demon!"

Shikamaru was baffled briefly at the insult.

Naruto was the farthest thing from a demon. Sure she pulled pranks, be this was no way to treat anyone.

Breaking out of his trance, he realized that Naruto was not defending herself.

At all!

Grunting in anger, Shikamaru thanked Kami that it was dark. That meant that there was an innumerable amount of shadows at his disposal. He quickly ran through the needed hand seals.

"Ninpou: Kage Shibari no jutsu." (1)

Shikamaru watched as his shadow lengthened and connected to the five shadows of the assailants, who stopped moving as soon as the where caught in the binding technique.

He watched as the five men panicked.

"The damn demon bitch has placed us under a spell!"

Racing over, Shikamaru swiftly knocked them out, with a well placed pinch between their shoulder and neck. He released the men and they fell over unconscious.

"Naruto," Shikamaru called as he crouched down, touching the shivering girl shoulder.

His nose scrunched up as the scent of the man's pee hit his nostril, he shot a dirty glare at the unconscious man, his pants was still around his ankles. Shikamaru was briefly tempted to called Kiba and have Akumaru bite his limp dick off.

He watched as the girl, pull her hands from her head, and then stand on shaky feet, eyes avoiding his face.

"Naruto…what happened?" the brunette quietly urged from the girl.

He was worried for the blonde; she had just recovered from a life threatening injury.

"That, my friend, is a typical Tuesday." A voice by his right said.

Shikamaru neck snapped to side, facing the direction the voice came from. The pineapple head boy was faced with a cleaner Naruto. A wide smile on her face.

Shikamaru winced, her bright smile, seemed almost painful.

The distinctive popping sound of a clone dispersing sounded from in front of him. The clone was gone. The Naruto he faced winced at the sudden onslaught of her clone's memories.

"What the hell just happened?" The Nara asked.

"Nothing. Just troublesome stuff. Didn't mean for you to get involved." She answered.

Shikamaru grabbed her wrist as she tried to walk away from him.

"That was not nothing." He said gruffly.

"Forget it. Just forget about it." She said, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. He tightened his grip and stared down at the blonde.

"Why did they beat you?"

"They didn't beat me…that was a blood clone." She answered.

"A clone is an extension of you, Naruto, you know that. Don't try to play smart with me," he hissed.

Her eyes shot down to her feet.

"We should go to the Hokage. These men need to be punished."

Her head shot up and her blue eyes focused with his brown eyes.

"Please leave it alone, Shika."

The boy regarded her tired face.

What was that look in her eyes.

He couldn't place it.

"I can't let it go. I'm worried about you." He gently encouraged her to confide in him.

"I said leave it the fuck alone!" snapped Naruto, viciously snatching her hand away from his grip.

The brunette's hand dropped back to his side and he stared at the feral look her face had taken.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on edge.

The look quickly passed, her expression relaxing. With a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Look, I'm sorry. I've been…on the edge lately."

He nodded, watching her. Analyzing every move she made.

"This is troublesome…you really don't want to get involve with this." A sad smile graced her lips.

"Coming to your rescue in the first place was troublesome." He snapped in a rare moment of anger.

He couldn't understand why she didn't want his help.

"Well you shouldn't have!" she snapped back. "I could've handled it myself. I've always handled this alone."

'Always?' he thought to himself.

Shikamaru looked down into her blue eyes, exasperated.

"This is what you call handling?" he gestured to the fallen men. "Letting these assholes beat you up-clone or not. I know these men are no match for you."

The girl averted her gaze, stepping back from him.

"Why did you let them do that to you?"

Naruto shook her head sadly.

"You wouldn't understand."

And in a whirlwind of leaves, she disappeared.

 **"** **If you're looking for love**

 **Know that love don't live here anymore**

 **He left with my heart**

 **They both walk through that door without me**

 **If you're trying to find pity**

 **Well you need to look to somewhere else**

 **Cause I surely can't help you**

 **I'm hurting my self**

 **I've turned into someone else.**

 **Love is patient, Love is selfless, Love is hopeful, Love is kind**

 **Love is jealous, Love is selfish, Love helpless, Love is blind"- Miley Cyrus**

 **Well that's that.**

 **See you Wednesday, hopefully. I will be travelling from Dominica back to Jamaica.**

 **Hopefully the airport should be up and running by then, seeing as I am currently stuck on the island after Tropical Storm Erika.**

 **Kittykatky**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sooo. ..Here's the chapter! It's earlier than I predicted!**

 **I worked hard for you!**

 **I made this for you!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but if I did, she would have been female!**

 **So please review! Tell me what you think, tell me where you'd like the story to go!**

Chapter 7- Of Monsters and Men

Shikamaru had just finished his report to the Hokage.

At first she was surprised to see him back in her office so soon again.

But now…The Godaime was livid.

With a quick hand seal, four ANBU ninjas appeared before the Hokage's desk. They all lowered their heads, bowing respectfully awaiting Tsunade's order.

She gave the bird masked ANBU the direction to the alley that Shikamaru had left those unconscious men. She instructed him, or her, to deliver them to the torture and interrogation division.

The ANBU shunshined away as Tsunade turned to the other three.

"Get me Jiraya. Start your search at the local brothel," she ordered.

The remaining ANBU disappeared, leaving Shikamaru and Tsunade alone in the office. Tsunade mumbled incoherently beneath her breath, having completely forgotten that Shikamaru was still in her office.

This was troublesome, but Shikamaru had no intention of reminding her that he was still around. His brain was already processing everything he had seen. He was hoping he would learn more about the younger blonde.

The Godaime downed her glass of sake, grunting that she was too old for all of this shit.

Shikamaru watched at Tsunade down all of the sake in her bottle. He marvelled at seeing the leader of his village drowning her sorrows with liquor.

He never knew that the news about Naruto would have affected her so heavily.

He opened his mouth to speak, when Tsunade called for her assistant.

"Shizune!"

The door to the Hokage's office busted open, a woman in her late 20's rushed passed him, she shot him a confused look. Shikamaru shrugged.

"Tsunade-sama!"The woman asked breathlessly, squeezing the small pig to her chest as she bowed respectfully.

"Shizune, more sake." The Hokage demanded.

"Tsunade-sama, you shouldn't-" the assistant began, trying to warn the Hokage of the ill effects of her drinking so much.

"NOW!," Thee blonde Hokage ordered, jumping from her chair, slamming her closed fist on her desk.

"Yes, Hokage-sama!", her assistant fled from the office, the pig squealing its displeasure.

Shikamaru twitched when the Hokage's eyes finally his.

She had forgotten about him.

"What are you still doing here?"She asked him.

He shrugged lazily.

"You didn't dismiss me, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade sighed heavily, "You-"she started, interrupted by the tall man with spiky white hair in his fifties that jumped in through the window. His wooden sandals clacked as he landed on the floor.

Shikamaru guessed that this was Jiraya, the man that Naruto had spent a month being trained by for the final of the Chunin exams.

"Tsunade-hime, you called?"

"It's about Naruto," she started.

Jiraya stood a little straighter, and Shikamaru watched surprised as his shoulders tensed, his attitude changing from the old goofy man to an attentive shinobi.

"What about her?" he asked, his voice steady, not betraying his actual worry.

"Some civilians caught her alone earlier and beat her up," the Hokage answered with a heavy sigh and a quick shake of her head. "Shikamaru here brought it to my attention."

Shikamaru stood at attention as the older man, spared him a quick glance.

"The ungrateful bastards are getting cocky. Probably thought they could have gotten away with it after that Haruno incident. Do you need me to get them?"He asked with a dark snarl.

"No," she answered, "I've already sent ANBU after them."

The tall man crossed his muscled arms over his chest, eyes locking with Tsunade's.

"Do you know where she is?"He asked.

"No."

"She ran before I could convince her to come with me to Hokage-sama." Shikamaru answered. "Quick question Hokage-sama, Jiraya-sama, you said Naruto was beaten again, she herself had hinted that this was a 'typical Tuesday', why is that so?"

Jiraya squinted his eyes at the young boy.

'Pineapple-hair, lazy attitude and quick thinking. Must be Shikaku's boy.' Jiraya thought to himself.

"Why would you want to know?"

Without hesitating, Shikamaru answered the Legendary Sannin, "Because I'm the one who found her, and it would be bothersome for me to not know my friend feels the need to hide her feelings from me."

Jiraya grinned at the boy pleased with his answer.

"Sorry kiddo, but you are going to have to ask her that yourself, I'm not privy to give you that information."

Shikamaru smirked.

"Ïs this because you don't know yourself?"

Jiraya winced.

It was true; he did not know the real reason why Naruto subjugated herself to being beaten by the civilians.

"Looks like I'm the talk of the town." a voice chuckled.

They all looked towards the window where the voice came from.

It was Naruto,

"Gaki," cried Tsunade, as she rushed over, pulling Naruto into her arms in a bone crushing hug.

"Kami! Old woman! Do you plan to kill me?!" Naruto wheezed, tearing herself away from the older blonde.

"I was worried about you, you stupid brat."Tsunade answered, punching Naruto's shoulder.

"Ah, ouch! What are you going senile"? Nothing is wrong with me!" Naruto whined, rubbing her aching shoulder.

"Nothing! Kid, you and pink fuzz fought today! And! And, that incident in the alley! That was not nothing!"

Naruto shot a glare at Shikamaru, who shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly.

"Talk to us gaki, what happened?"Jiraya asked.

Naruto pressed her lips closed, shooting an uncertain look at Shikamaru. Tsunade followed her gaze.

"Shikamaru, I think it's time for you to go."

Shikamaru nodded, bowing in respect before leaving the room.

Shikamaru had decided that he would not try to push his luck. Naruto was obviously not comfortable in sharing her thoughts when he was around. But why, what would be so bad, that she would allow herself to be beaten. As if she was punishing herself for something.

Walking down the long hallway, he was broken from his thoughts when a red-faced Shizune hurried past him, with 4 large sake bottles in her hands, the squealing pig hot on her heels.

"Troublesome…"

 **"Just like a moth drawn to flame**

 **Oh, you lured me in, I couldn't sense the pain**

 **Your bitter heart cold to the touch**

 **Now I'm gonna reap what I sow**

 **I'm left seeing red on my own**

 **Got a feeling that I'm going under**

 **But I know that I'll make it out alive**

 **If I quit calling you my lover and**

 **Move on.**

 **You watch me bleed until I can't breathe**

 **Shaking, falling onto my knees**

 **And now that I'm without your kisses**

 **I'll be needing stitches**

 **Tripping over myself**

 **Aching, begging you to come help**

 **And now that I'm without your kisses**

 **I'll be needing stitches'- Shawn Mendes**

 **So remember…Review! Less reviews, means less inspiration for my muse…makes me feel like you don't care for me. *Weep weep***

 **Pwease, pwease! Review me! Judge me!**

 **Well, the story actually….**

 **Love, Kittykatky.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, unfortunately.**

 **Please Review! Tell me what you are thinking, I see the viewership and the follows and favourites and thank you for that! Now feed my muse and please… REVIEW!**

Chapter 8- Of Monsters and Men

When Naruto fled from Shikamaru, her first instinct was to go home. Stopping herself in mid run, she remembered that her home, her shitty little apartment had been burnt to the ground.

Naruto's knees weakened and she flopped down into a sit where she had just stood.

She had nowhere to run to.

No safe haven, where she could be herself.

Oh, Kami! Her plants were gone!

Her apartment was no longer there, she has nowhere to go.

Resting her elbow on her knees, she dug her fingers through her hair, shoving her fingernails into her scalp.

Her chest tightened for a brief second and she choked on a sob.

It had finally hit home.

She had lost everything.

Her best friend, her teammate and her apartment filled with all her precious plants.

Naruto ignored the dark whisperings in the back of her mind.

Taking a shaky breath, Naruto pulled her hands away from her scalp, straightening her body. She sat completely still, holding her breath, willing the wave of emotion that was threatening to drown her. Her gaze drifted to the Hokage Mountain, an unknown forcing having pulled her knees to chest before resting her chin on her kneecaps.

If anyone was to happen to run across on the rooftops she sat, they would have seen her at her most vulnerable.

She was pale and thin. She had lost so much weight in such a short period of time. Her blonde hair was wild and unkempt and her large blue eyes seemed to have sunken into her face. Her whiskers seemed faint, the moonlight giving it a silverish glow.

She looked sick. She looked broken.

Naruto allowed her thoughts to wonder about the previous leaders of Konoha.

It was not long ago that she had imagined that one day her face too would be carved into the mountain. Proclaiming her to be the strongest and the greatest ninja of her generation.

She had wanted to be Hokage. To protect Konohagakure.

The usual warmth that typically followed these thoughts… did not come.

….

 **'Are you willing to protect a village that cares nothing for us?'**

The voice was back again.

That voice that sounded like hers….but wasn't hers.

 **'Are you willing to protect a village that hate us?'**

She hissed at the inner voice.

 **'They despise our existence and cause nothing but pain and misery.'**

Why had the voice come back?

'Do you really think that if we keep trying and trying and trying that they would accept us? Love us!'

"Shut up! Go back! Go away!" Naruto snarled.

 **'They will always hate us. No matter what we do,'** for once the voice sounded sad.

Naruto jumped to her feet, the hair on the back of her neck standing on edge.

The voice was becoming more and more active. This place was no longer her home and was only making her agitated. The more she doubted, the stronger the voice spoke. It didn't sound like the fox, but it could be tricking putting her off balance just for the sake of messing with her mind.

If that was so…she needed to get out of here.

She needed to find Jiraya.

That was earlier.

Now.

Naruto was standing before Jiraya and the Hokage.

"I want to leave this place."

Tsunade's mouth fell open, her jaw flopping up and down.

"What?! Why?," the older blonde screeched after regaining her voice, "Naruto, why would-."

"You already know why, Tsunade," Jiraya answered.

Naruto watched as Tsunade's mouth snapped closed and she pursed her lips.

"I know you will be leaving Konoha soon Jiraya-sama, and I would like to accompany you."

Jiraya and Tsunade glanced at each other shocked. She had not called the old toad sage by his usual nickname and with respect.

This showed the seriousness of the situation.

"You do not have to take me on as your prodigy- for even I know; I'm not worth of that title- but as your personal assistant."

Naruto smiled sadly before bowing deeply.

"Please Jiraya-sama," Naruto's voice broke.

Naruto remained in her bow, her body at a rigid 90 degree angle waiting for the Sannin's answer.

Tsunade and Jiraya hated the air of depression that hung over the usually hyper active blonde. They hated that she had put her herself down so easily. The Uchiha had destroyed the girl's confidence. Her spirit.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Jiraya started.

Naruto straightened herself after the long pause. Jiraya had not yet spoken.

Tsunade's eyes teared up at the expression in the child's unsmiling face. Her heart clenched painfully at the picture the younger girl painted. She stood rigid; her legs spread hip width apart. Naruto's face was emotionless by her eyes said more. It screamed desperation and hope.

She wanted to get away from the place that was causing her nothing but pain.

It was Jiraya to choose whether he would save her or leave her to despair.

"Uzumaki Naruto. I would gladly accept you. Not as an assistant…but as my student. You are worthy. You are a capable shinobi and therefore capable of being my prodigy." Grinning sheepishly, Jiraya chuckled breaking the tension.

"Actually, I was planning on asking you to come with me. You just beat me to the punch."

A bright and brilliant smile broke across Naruto's face and the breath that was Tsunade was holding burst from her.

"Really?" she squeaked, bouncing on her toes. "You'll take me with you?"

"Yes." Jiraya answered.

Naruto launched herself at the old man wrapping her thin arms around his thick neck. She held on tight, her feet dangling to the floor. The girl was small, even for her age.

Years of malnourishment had stunted her growth.

Jiraya sighed heavily, wondering how he had not noticed how small and light the girl really was.

No wonder the Uchiha had place a hole through her so easily.

Jiraya wrapped his arms around the child, hefting her into a huge bear hug. He winced when he felt hot tears fall unto his shoulder.

"Thank you!" Naruto mumbled gratefully, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Tsunade reached, gently patting Naruto's back, sharing a look with the Toad Sennin. With a quick nod she approved of her adopted sister's trip with her old teammate.

"We'll be gone for two years," Jiraya said lowering Naruto to the ground. She took her footing, quickly rubbing her tear-reddened eyes.

"Fine by me, Ero-Sennin," she grinned.

"You brat! I told you not to call me that!"

"I calls 'em like I see 'em, Pervy Sage Sensei!"

Jiraya grumbled beneath his breath, pretending to be upset.

"One day you'll regret me!"He grabbed her cheeks and pulled on them.

Tsunade smiled, a bit sadly.

"Well that's that! Get out of my office you two!"

She walked over to her desk.

"Get going! I've got paperwork to do!"

Ruffling Naruto's hair Jiraya headed out of office first.

With a shy glanced, Naruto made her way too Tsunade who was now sitting at her desk.

"Yes, gaki?" The Hokage enquired.

Naruto quickly leaned over and placed a peck on the woman's cheek.

With a blush she said, "Thank you Baa-chan.", before rushing from the room.

Tsunade watched as the daughter of the Yellow Flash quickly escaped from her view.

Unconsciously, she placed a hand on her cheek, blushing in happiness.

"Silly brat. I told her to stop calling me that." she murmured happily.

The next morning…Naruto left with Jiraya. She felt no need to inform anyone that she was leaving. Not like anyone would care anyways.

But…if anyone was to ask, she was sure that the Hokage would inform them of her decision.

Leaving Konoha behind, Naruto felt no regret, no sadness, and no guilt in leaving behind a village in which no one wanted her.

In fact she was more excited in meeting new people against her situation. People who did not blindly fear her.

With every step she took, her mood improved and she was happy. Genuinely happy.

The voice was silent, seemingly happy with her decision as well.

 **'I'm burning bridges from shore to shore**

 **I break away from something more**

 **I'm not turned off to love until it's cheap**

 **Been there, done that, messed around**

 **I'm having fun, don't put me down**

 **I'll never let you sweep me off my feet.' - Laroux**

 **So, I'm back in school and now, I will only be updated every Sunday. Sorry about that, it's my final year and I'll need to balance this with my final animation project.**

 **-Kittykatky**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. And I weep about the fact every day.**

 **Sorry for the late update, life has rolled in and started giving me some heavy blows. Lots of tests to take, lots of presentations, lots of everything! But never fear! I will not be giving up on this story! My own imagination will not allow me to!**

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Chapter 9- Of Monsters and Men

Two weeks had passed since Naruto left Konoha with Jiraya.

Naruto sat silently by the camp fire, picking at the roasted fish Jiraya had just handed to her/ she took a tentative bite, her mind processing the information that Jiraya had told her.

The Akatsuki; the organization to which Itachi Uchiha belonged to was hunting down the 9 bijuu. No one knew why, but everyone was staying far away. They all knew it was something bad, and that, was all the information that the needed. Itachi and his shark partner had already cornered her and lucky for her, she got away. She wasn't sure how, but she had escaped.

"Are you worried?"

With a quick shake of her head, Naruto grinned then scoffed.

"Yeah, right! As if I'm going to let that walking fin soup and that crow catch me."

Jiraya smiled as well, finishing up with his fish.

"Well then! Now that we've got that outta the way...I need you to turn in early! No scroll reading late into the night! I want us to head into the nearest village before sundown for research." Jiraya waggled his eyebrows playfully at Naruto as she scowled at him.

"You're a sick and nasty old man, Ero-Sennin," Naruto said, finally taking a large bite from her fish.

Jiraya smile to himself, happy that she was finally eating her meal.

Minutes later they were both winding down for bed. She crawled into her tent, Naruto called a quick good night to the old man. Wiggling into her sleeping bag, Naruto settled down for her rest.

That night she dreamt.

In Otogakure, Sasuke was panting, sweating profusely and bleeding from the many different cuts that littered his body. He was hurting pretty much everywhere.

Orochimaru was a strict sensei. He was dedicating five hours every day for training with the young Uchiha. In just the two weeks that he was being trained by the Snake Sennin, the boy's strength had almost doubled and his speed increased immensely. Sasuke felt himself getting stronger by the day. For him, this proof that leaving Konoha was right decision. He was certain that none f his former teammates of the rest of the Rookie 9 was at his level by now. He had a sensei that was totally dedicated to him. And to him alone. He paid attention to him and taught him everything he knew.

 _Because he wants your body_ , a treacherous voice spoke in the back of Sasuke's head. _He only trains you to take over your body and you…you will die. You should have stayed with her…_

Sasuke shook his head, trying to get rid of the voice of doubt and the seconds of confusion almost cost him his right leg as Orochimaru's katana came flying at his right. He threw himself to the left and instead of getting his leg speared through; he received a deep wound on his outer thigh. It was bleeding stronger than any of the other wounds.

The snake Sennin sheathed his katana. His eyes slitted, regarding the young boy coldly. Sasuke stared back, his eyes at first was unwavering.

He would never admit it to anyone, but secretly, Orochimaru's eyes unnerved him. They always held a look of insanity and sometimes….desire.

Sasuke soon averted his eyes.

He always lost at these staring matches. But he told himself that one day, when he was strong enough…he would not back down from the old sly snake. However, he still needed the Sennin's training and thus had to swallow his famous Uchiha pride.

"Let Kabuto patch you up and then take a rest. You will be sparing with Kabuto in the morning," with an elaborate spin, the Snake Sennin left the training grounds. Finally allowing himself to hiss in pain Sasuke glanced down at the gaping wound on his thigh.

So stupid, how could he get so distracted during training?

Because of his lack of concentration, his training was cut short. It was because of his lack of concentration he got wounded.

And it was all because of the damn dobe.

With a bitter curse, Sasuke limped to Kabuto's office to get his wounds treated before retreating to his room.

 _"I swear, Teme! If you say anything else, I'm going to kick your ass!" Naruto hissed down at Sasuke and Sakura, who were currently standing at the foot of the large tree in the middle of the forest, matching looks of irritation directed at Naruto._

 _Naruto herself was perched precariously high above her teammates in the same tree, cautiously edging outwards towards the striped cat resting on one of the further reaching branches._

 _Sasuke ignored the blonde's angry tone._

 _"Hurry up, dobe," he grounded out. "You are wasting time."_

 _"That's right," Sakura chimed in. "Sasuke would have gotten Tora-chan already!"_

 _Naruto scoffed at Sakura, ignoring the pink haired girl, Sasuke did the same; knowing that she was imagining an elaborate rescue of said feline by none other than the awesome Uchiha heir._

 _Turning her sights back to the cat with a slight pout on her face, she whined about how stupid the cat was forgetting herself stuck in a tree and how stupid she was for volunteering in the first place. Shooting a quick glare to her sensei, who was sitting comfortably on a large rock, reading, Naruto vowed to burn his book in revenge._

 _The Jounin seemed to feel the intensity of her short glare as he lifted his gaze to the blonde before turning his solitary eye back to his reading. "Be careful Naruto, a fall from that height could kill you."_

 _The blonde continued to inch towards the preening cat. "Fret not, Sensei," she grinned. "Someone as awesome as me would never fall!"_

 _Tensing her body, she sprung outwards, making a grab at the cat._

 _"Gotcha!" she giggled to the cat._

 _The cat yowled disapprovingly, unhappy she was caught._

 _Down below, Sakura slapped her forehead, "Sheesh Naruto! Be careful! You heard what Kakashi-sensei said!"_

 _"Pshaw, what does it matter? I got the cat didn't I?"Naruto blinked, holding the cat in her arms, standing out on the branch. "I got the cat, see?"_

 _She held the animal outward for Sakura to see, but unfortunately the movement cause the cat to panic, clawing at her arms wildly._

 _Yelping in surprise, Naruto let go of the cat, only to have it jump from the tree and down into Sasuke's arms, landing safely. Naruto was not so lucky, the force the cat used to propel itself away from her, sent her sprawling and her arms windmilling backwards. Eyes wide in shock, she fell backwards, the back of her head knocking on an overhead branch before free falling to the forest ground belong._

 _Panic ensued._

 _Sakura screamed alerting Kakashi to the situation._

 _"Damn it." Kakashi barked, throwing his Icha Icha Paradise to the ground, he began to speed over to where his students stood._

 _Sasuke stood stock still for a moment, his heart beat quickening. For a moment, he imagined Naruto landing on the forest floor, sprawled and broken…and dead._

 _Sasuke threw the cat to the ground, rushing forward, arms outstretched, Sharingan unknowingly activated. Diving into a run, he leapt into the air, grabbing Naruto from her fall; he wrapped his body around hers and prepared for the impact._

 _He prepared for the feeling of his shoulder bone shattering beneath Naruto and his weight._

 _An 'oof' escaped him, when his body finally crashed to the ground. Gritting his teeth, he held back the scream that bubbled up his throat. Rolling along the forest floor, he sheltered the blonde girl's head, until they finally came to a stop._

 _"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out, her arms tightly clenched around the now still cat. "Are you okay?"_

 _Sitting up and unwrapping himself from around the blonde girl, Sasuke ignored the sharp pain in his shoulder._

 _"Naruto! Sasuke! Are you alright?"The sliver haired Jounin asked._

 _Sasuke grunted a reply, searching Naruto quickly for any life threatening wounds._

 _There was none._

 _He released a breath he did not know he was holding._

 _"We need to get you two to the hospital." Kakashi said, lifting Naruto from Sasuke's tight grip. Turning to Sakura, he instructed the girl to return the cat to counsel woman Shinji._

 _Kakashi dashed off towards the hospital, Sasuke trailing closely behind…his eyes never leaving the blonde girl's pale face._

 _He wondered why she wasn't waking….and then he wondered why he cared so much._

 _Drip…drip…drip…_

 _"Urhg…."the girl groaned, waiting for her senses to return._

 _The air smelt of stagnant water, and she was lying in some sort of cool liquid. A constant dripping echoed around the area and as her blue eyes began to refocus she was greeted with darkness._

 _"What the…where the hell am I?"_

 _She pushed herself up and out of water before pressing forward in the direction of a red glow._

 _She couldn't recall how she got to this dark and dank place. Wasn't she just out in the forest, retrieving Tora-chan?_

 _'Sasuke? Sakura? Kaka-sensei?"_

 _The closer she got, the more the red light- no glow- bathed her surroundings, revealing the sides of the tunnel she seemed to be in. Her eyes fixed onto an opening in front of her and her pace quickened slightly only t falter as she reached a dead end marked by large jail-like bars. They were big enough for her to easily slip through, but whatever was behind it gave off a foreboding feeling. She turned her body back they way she came from, only to see the path sealed off by a wall, as if the pathway had never existed._

 _"No way," she cried out, checking for cracks or even a seal in the wall. "It was just here! Where's the damn exit!"_

 _Bursting out in anger the girl kicked against the wall futilely._

 _"Let me the fuck out!"_

 ** _"Shut up, you pitiful human."_** _A deep voice resonated around the room and she quickly tried to find to find the source._

 _"Who the hell are you!?" Naruto shouted at the giant cage, "and where the fuck am I?"_

 ** _"Insolent runt,_** _" the voice growled,_ _ **"What a dim, little thing you are."**_

 _"Are you making fun of me," her fear of being in the unknown was translated into anger towards the mocking stranger. "I dare you to say it again."_

 ** _"Of course, come closer and I will spell it out right in front of you."_**

 _Unwisely, she did take two large steps forward, when a large, red, clawed hand swept out of the dark grabbing for her._

 _"What the hell!" She stumbled back, falling into the water. "What the hell was that for?"_

 ** _"Was it not obvious?"_** _A monstrous, fox-like face pressed itself against the edge of the bars,_ _ **"I was hoping to kill you."**_

 _"What for?! I haven't done anything to you!"_

 ** _"You are my jailer, little human; you have done everything to offend me."_**

 _The giant fox smirked showing off its rows of sharp teeth._

 _"What the hell are you?" Naruto's voice trembled, realizing the weight if the being before her._

 ** _"I am being greater than you could possibly imagine. I am the great Kyuubi no Kitsune."_**

 _"The… Kyuubi?" The world around her shook as she tried to comprehend the fact that she was finally talking to the beast within her. There were so many questions she wanted to ask._

 ** _"Yes, now, be gone human, your presence irritates me."_**

 _The walls began to collapse inwards and the floor below her feet crumbled sending her falling down into the darkness._

 _"No wait! I want to ask you something."_

 _The Fox watch her with great disinterested before retreating further into the cage._

 _"Wait! Please!"_

 _The girl vanished, sucked into the vortex._

With a sharp cry, Naruto launched up into consciousness. She felt nauseous and her head was throbbing painfully.

She didn't know why she was remembering the first meeting with the Fox demon.

It was morning, she could hear Jiraya just beginning to rustle up from his sleep.

Rubbing her temples, she groaned and dragged herself from her sleeping bag.

She blushed, remembering that that night after she had woken up from her sub-consciousness. _Sasuke had stayed by her side until she woke. And when she did an 'Hn' was sounded from Sasuke before he got up and the left the hospital room, his arm awkwardly resting in a sling._

 _"Next time, be careful, dobe."_

To her that was one of her precious moments, a time that she knew Sasuke cared for her, even if just a little.

 _"Disgusting…."_

Sasuke's harsh words suddenly exploded from the back of her mind

 ** _"He called us disgusting…pathetic... if we keep pining over him. Maybe we are like Sakura. "_**

'I'm nothing like Sakura!' Naruto thought fiercely to herself.

 ** _"WELL THEN! REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE TO US! HE LEFT US!"_**

Naruto gasped as a sharp pain ran through her mind.

 ** _"REMEMBER!"_**

Naruto pressed her fingers hard into her temples, willing the voice to go away.

A feral growl escaped her as she pushed the voice to the back of her mind once again.

"Naruto are you up?" Jiraya called out to the young girl

"Coming," she answered wiggling out of her tent.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Having already cleaned up the campsite, he was just waiting for Naruto to pull down her own tent. When that was completed, she shrugged on her knapsack.

"Yea, let's go and do your dirty research." She chuckled.

"It's not dirty! It's art!" The older man stomped his sandal clad foot to the ground. "The art of the female anatomy."

Naruto watched as his eyes glazed over and he sighed happily, ready for adventure.

"I'm so telling Baa-chan when we get back," she laughed wrinkling her nose in mock disgust. "You are a dirty old man and bad influence."

And before he could threaten her with more training, she dashed off towards their next destination.

Shikamaru was worried.

He hadn't seen Naruto since his last report to the Hokage. He had been looking for her any and every where for about 2 weeks now, but there was absolutely no signs of the blond teenager.

By now the genius was certain that Naruto had either left Konoha or that she was dead. He hoped to Kami that it was the former.

"Troublesome," he muttered darkly to himself, lazily counting the ants that was trekking over his chest.

He, Kiba and Choji had just finished their umpteenth search for the hyperactive blond and they were now

"Man, it's like she disappeared off the face of the earth."Kiba huffed.

Choji nodded, munching as quietly as he could, on a bag of chips.

"I think we need to ask to about it," Kiba finally said after a moment of silence.

He scratched absentmindedly behind Akumaru's ear, the dog grunted appreciatively.

"Well, Hokage-sama should know what's going on."Shikamaru reasoned, standing slowly. "You guys coming with?"

And before either boy could answer, an ANBU appeared before them.

"Hokage-sama has requested your presence, in five minutes." And before they could confirm a reply, the ANBU disappeared.

"Well wasn't that convenient," mumbled Shikamaru. "Well let's get a move on."

Arriving in the Hokage's office, the boys noticed that they were not the only one that was in the office. In fact, he counted all of Rookie 9 plus Gai-sensei's team…minus of course, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura.

"You are probably wondering why you are all here-"she began.

"Not really, Hokage-sama, I'm sure this has something to do with Naruto's disappearance."Shikamaru interrupted with a lazy drawl.

Tsunade's eye twitched and narrowed at the Nara brat.

"And why have we haven't seen her in over a week?" quipped Choji, through bites of his chips.

"Yes….this indeed is about Naruto. But before I continue and explain this to you, I need you to know that due to circumstances, she couldn't tell you this herself." She hesitated for a short moment. "She has asked me to tell you on her behalf, that she has left Konoha."

Kiba and Neji were the first to react.

"That's out of character even for her…"

"What the hell?" Kiba exclaimed.

"Naruto left with Jiraya on a training trip. He took her on as his prodigy and Naruto gladly accepted it."Tsunade continued as if Kiba's outburst had not thrown her off.

The genin gaped at Tsunade. Jiraya- one of the Three Legendary Sennin- had chosen Naruto as his prodigy.

Kiba pouted, a bit jealous at Naruto's fortune. Lee yelled invigoratingly, something along the lines of Naruto's youthfulness and bright shining persona. Neji's face betrayed nothing, but internally he was happy for the blonde.

Shikamaru found that his suspicions were confirmed. He wanted to ask if the incident in alley had anything to do with her hasty departure, but the Hokage shot him a menacingly look, that even he would never question. He clamped his mouth shut and looked away.

The genin left the office and Tsunade was glad to be alone again. However as she was about to take a sip of her beloved sake, a throat was cleared. She looked up.

It seemed that not all of the genin had left her office as yet. Still standing in front of her desk were Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Neji and Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba and Akimichi Choji.

"I can't seem to shake you off, Nara," Tsunade chuckled bitterly. "Why are you all still here?"

She had expected the Nara to answer, instead the usually shy girl, Hinata spoke.

"Why did she leave without saying goodbye?"

Tsunade smiled inwardly.

Who would have thought that Naruto had so many people around who cared for her?

"Jiraya needed to leave quickly. There was no time to say goodbye."

Shikamaru and Neji both squinted their eyes at her. They picked up on her lie.

"When will she be back?" Choji crunched out.

Tsunade sighed heavily.

"In about three years." Even this was too long for her liking; she couldn't imagine how they felt. She was already missing the loud blonde terribly, but she knew that the younger blonde needed the time to mend.

Kiba whistled in disbelief.

"Three years?! Damn, she's going to be super strong when she returns!"

Tsunade laughed at his wide eyes.

"Akumaru!" Kiba yelled at the dog, "We need to go! We got training to do! Now!" Determined, he left the office with the yelping Akumaru on his heels.

Hinata smiled, bowing to Hokage, excusing herself. Choji did the same, heading out just as his huge bag of chips was finally finished.

Giving a sift bow to the Hokage, Neji left behind Choji and the Hyuuga clan heiress. Shikamaru hesitated, knowing that he was still missing pieces from, but he too eventually left as well.

Tsunade shook her head disbelievingly and she wonders if Naruto knew how much her former classmates cared about her.

 **"You're all on your own and**

 **You lost all your friends**

 **You told yourself that**

 **It's not you, it's them**

 **You're one of a kind**

 **And no one understands**

 **But those cry baby tears**

 **Keep coming back again**

 **Something's turning the handle**

 **To that faucet in your eyes**

 **They're pouring out**

 **Where everyone can see them**

 **Your heart's too big for your body**

 **It's where your feelings hide**

 **They're pouring out**

 **Where everyone can see**

 **They call you cry baby**

 **Cry baby But you don't fucking care**

 **Cry baby, cry baby**

 **So you laugh through your tears**

 **Cry baby, cry baby**

 **Cause you don't fucking care**

 **Tears fall to the ground**

 **You just let them drown."- Melaine Martinez**

 **Yay! As you can see, or read…I made the chapter longer to make up for the past two weeks of non updating.**

 **9 Microsoft word pages. 3407 words, be proud of me! Be proud!**

 **Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to review. It actually helps.**

 **-KittyKatKY**


	10. Chapter 10

**You all know the deal.**

 **I do not own Naruto but I sure do have a hand in this storyline that I am writing!**

 **To answer some questions that have been left in the reviews, yes there will be lemons, but that's way way way later in the series.**

 **It seems that I will only be able to update every two weeks, so, sorry about that.**

 **Thank you for all of the follows and favourites, they mean a lot to me!**

Chapter 10

A figure was jumping through the trees.

The occasional 'thud' of feet hitting a branch, leaves rustling, and a dark blur.

Naruto knew she was being followed.

Stopping in a small clearing, the Kunai in her right hand, glistening in the sunlight, she crouched low. Feet spread in a wide stance, perfectly balanced, ready to react to whoever was coming after her. Carefully, she scanned the surrounding trees with her blue eyes…her lungs were burning from the chase and the fighting from before. She jumped at the noise coming from the bushes behind her. She whirled around, arms up defensively…but there was nothing.

Taking a deep breath, partly to calm herself, but mainly to take in the scents and sounds in details around her.

Her sense of smell had always been extraordinary, but in the last few months of being trained by Jiraya, she was learning to use it to her advantage.

For now…she did not smell anything out of place. For now.

Forcing her racing heart to slow, she quieted her breathing and allowed the adrenaline that was flowing through her body to keep her on her toes.

The shadows of the setting sun on the leaves, made it difficult for her to make out anything. She was hoping her eyes would adapt quickly enough for her to pick out her pursuer.

Cursing beneath her breath, Naruto's usually sharp eyes could not pick up on anything suspicious. She realized that she could not rely solely on her eyes. So she concentrated on her hearing.

Pushing aside the sound of her own heartbeat and breathing, she listened to how the leaves danced merrily in the wind. She listened to the birds happily twittering in a tree to her left…4 she counted in total. She listened to squirrel chatter in the bushes behind her.

She listened more carefully.

There was a rushing sound. But it sounded a bit far away. Coming from behind her.

Was it water...a river? No, the sound was roaring…

A waterfall.

A 'creak' sounded from before her.

A twig snapped and the sound of frantically flapping wings. A bird disturbed by another's presence. She listened to the footfalls, the swish of cloth moving against cloth.

And then…breathing.

There!

Eyes snapping open and with newly acquired speed, she flung a swarm of shuriken into the tree line before her.

The resounding thuds indicated that they hit the trunk of a tree. Jumping backwards, she readied another set of shuriken. Taking in a deep breath, she took in the scent of the assailant. He was close.

A single shuriken came flying at her with lightening speed. Before she could wonder why there was only one shuriken aimed at her, she heard a deep voice call out a jutsu.

"Shuriken Kage Bushin no Jutsu."

The single shuriken multiplies by several dozen. Naruto yelped in surprise and she threw herself on the ground. The shuriken whizzed past above her, hitting the grass behind her head. She quickly jumped back to her feet, scanning the clearing again.

The scent of her attacker warned her, as a fist came flying at her from behind, aiming for her head. She whirled around ducking under a muscled arm. She was smaller than her attacker, making it easier for her to evade his swinging fists. Still, she was at a disadvantage, because she was smaller, her arms were a lot shorter than her attacker and she had to get in really close to be able to actually hit him. And apparently, she had gotten too close.

A large fist connected with her stomach. She dry-heaved as the power of the fist sent her flying. She hit the ground hard, gasping for the air that had left her lungs. She was several feet away from her attacker. She groaned as she tried to pull herself up on shaky legs, her eyes determined. She failed.

She lay gasping on the ground and she glared up at the tall man who was now standing over her. Stooping before her, he gently pulled her into a sitting position, supporting her so that she wouldn't fall again.

"You didn't have to hit so hard," she croaked out.

The white-haired Sennin chuckled at his godchild and sat beside her.

"Your enemies will not hold back, gaki. So I naturally I will do the same." He picked at the stray leaves that tangled in her hair. "That would be a disservice to you."

With a glare, Naruto flopped back to the ground with a groan.

"Mean old pervert," she mumbled accusingly at the older man.

Shaking his head, Jiraya watched as she nursed her stomach, her eyes closed.

Maybe, he was going a bit too hard on her…

Jiraya tsked beneath his breath.

No, he would not spoil her. He was here to coddle her, but to train her. He was training her so she would have a chance to stand her own against the members of Akatsuki.

They had been travelling for a total of four months. And already the changes in Naruto were very visible.

While the girl had chattered non-stop during the month he had trained her for the Chunin exams, she was now quiet and often times he would catch her with an uncharacteristic thoughtful look on her face or sometimes even whispering to herself.

When she spoke, her voice was no longer loud and annoying. She was now actually was thinking before she spoke. And sometimes, Jiraya even found himself wincing at the subdued way she spoke at times. It shocked him that in the last four months, not once had he seen her trademark foxy grin reach her eyes. The occasions in which she gave him a genuine smile was so far and few between.

Rolling onto her knees, Naruto struggled to her feet. Jiraya eyed the young girl as she dusted off her bulky orange jumpsuit. It was dirty, torn and ripped all over. Frowning he wondered if all of her clothes now looked this way. All of the intense training Jiraya has been putting her through was now showing on her wardrobe.

Pushing to his feet, Jiraya dusted off his own duds.

"Naru-chan, I'm planning to go into town today, you want to come with?"

Naruto scowled at him in disgust.

"For research? You old pervert," she shook her head. "Nuh huh! The last time I went with you into a town, I got chased out of the women's spa for being your accomplice! They thought I was a man!"

"Well it doesn't help that you are flat-chested! Of course they'd think you were a man!"

Naruto clenched her fist and glared at the old man, eyes flashing in righteous anger.

Jiraya visually sweat-dripped.

"Okay, okay, my bad. But it was for a good cause! Plus it wasn't all that bad; you got a good shower for once."

"Barely! And I had to leave my clothes behind!" Naruto blushed, mortified. "And when I snuck back to get them, the mob of angry women had already burnt my jumpsuit!"

Jiraya whistled low beneath his breath.

"Oh, I forgot about that! But honestly, this time, we are only going for supplies." He grinned.

Naruto eyed him suspiciously as she picked twigs and dry leaves from her long pigtails.

"Alright…I'll come," she answered after a long pause.

"Great! Let's get going then, gaki."

With a quick sly smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, Naruto scoffed.

"Anything you say, Oh great and might Pervy Sage."

"Okay kiddo, what about this one?" Jiraya shoved something in her face.

Naruto pretended to gag at the deep navy blue dress with bright pink Sakura blossoms at the hem. The colours reminded her too much of her previous teammates.

"How the hell am I going to fight in that?" Naruto snapped, pushing Jiraya and the horrid dress out of the way.

"Come on Naru-chan. You'll look good in this!"

"Over my dead body!" she grumbled as she shuffled over to another clothes rack.

"Ah ha!"Jiraya shouted triumphantly. "How about this?! You'll definitely like this."

Naruto's brown rose in amusement.

"Just because it's a dress in my favourite colour, doesn't mean I'll like it." She scoffed at the neon orange dress with white orange blossom at the hem. "Please move away from dresses. How the hell will I be taken serious as ninja in that fru-fru outfit?"

Jiraya grinned mischievously, "You don't need to be taken seriously! You just need to distract!"

Naruto shot him the dirtiest look she could possibly make, "Look how short that dress is!"

"Well you don't have much boobs! You got to show off something. You've got nice enough legs." Jiraya said as he strokes his chin thoughtfully.

The vein in Naruto's forehead throbbed violently and with a sly grim she stomped on the older man's feet, paying particular attention to his pinkie toe.

Perfect.

Naruto watched her reflection smile back at her. Seemingly happy with what she was seeing.

It was comfy, airy and flexible. Not too eye catching as her previous outfit had been.

What had she been thinking? That orange jumpsuit screamed target!

Her hair and eyes were already bright! What more brightness had she needed?! She had worn bright colours to draw attention to herself. She wore the bright orange jumpsuit because she was starving for human contact other than the hateful glares or just being completely ignored.

She chose to become an annoyance rather than a hated shadow.

No one else was wearing orange, so they immediately would know that the unethical wearing of this colour could only be done by her and her alone.

She forced her presence on them. It was stupid.

Being an annoyance was no longer what she wanted people to see her as. Especially when travelling and especially because of the Akatsuki.

From now on, she wanted people to want to notice her and not just because her clothing screamed from the desperate need for attention.

She had chosen a simple black leather looking leggings that covered her legs to her mid calves. She had found a black vest with a little orange ribbing along the zipper- orange was her favourite colour and she was not planning on give it up all together. Her arms were covered with the long sleeved meshed shirt that was beneath the vest. She sheathed her arms in black arm protectors that covered from just above her elbows, down to fingerless black gloves.

She traded her blue ninja sandals for one in black.

She thought she looked good.

She thought that she was finally looked like the person she wanted to be.

She stepped from out of the dressing room, eyes sparkling.

"What do you think?"

Jiraya brow rose appreciatively.

"I think it could work wonderfully. I see you took my advice about showing more leg."

Naruto blushed fiercely and gritted her teeth.

"Shut up Ero-Sennin!"

"Yeah yeah," he snorted. "Come let me pay for it."

With a slight frown, Naruto glanced up at her teacher.

"Huh?"

"I'm paying…"

Naruto stared at him puzzled. No one had ever offered to buy her anything but ramen before.

"Why?"

Jiraya was confused.

"Really, you brat? Do I honestly need a reason to buy my cute little student some clothes? I as your master am to shelter you protect you and once in a while provide for you." Jiraya answered with a huff, folding his arms over his chest.

Naruto already rosy cheeks flared even hotter.

She was definitely not used to this.

"I can't let you pay!"She blurted out, her voice a bit screechy.

Jiraya frowned, staring down into the girl's big blues.

"And why the hell not, brat?"

"I just can't." she answered, looking away.

Jiraya tsked unhappily at her refusal. She was his God-daughter, for Kami's sake. Who would not want a gift? Who would not love a gift? What girl her age was not excited about free clothes!

And then he remembered…

That person would be Naruto.

She fended for herself all her life and was not used to random acts of kindness.

A piece of Jiraya's heart shattered, knowing that he was part of the people who had damaged his student, his god-daughter in an irreparable way. He had abandoned her when he was needed the most.

He promised himself that he would spend the rest of his life making it back up to her.

With a sad smile, Jiraya ruffled the blonde's hair.

"Let me do this for you, kid."

She was about to protest, but the look on his face made her stop. It looked as if he would be greatly pained if she refused. Naruto nodded reluctantly, accepting his offer.

"Great!" Jiraya bellowed, clapping his hand in victory, "I knew pouting would've worked!"

Naruto narrowed her eyes at her teacher as he rubbed his hands together mischievously.

"Now I can get you those dresses!"

Naruto balked in horror.

"Hell no!"

"Hell yes!" he giggled puling the offending items and even more from the counter behind him.

"Oh, Kami! Is that pink?!" she screeched.

"Yea it is."Jiraya sing-songed, placing the dress before her. "Kawaii!"

Pursing her lips she glared at him.

"You're disgusting."

 **"Sleeplessly embracing**  
 **Butterflies and needles**  
 **Line my seamed-up join**  
 **Encased in case I need it**  
 **In my stomach, for my heart**  
 **Chain mail**

 **Hunger of the pine**  
 **Hunger of the pine**

 **Sleeplessly embracing**  
 **Yawn yearns into me**  
 **Plenty more tears in the sea**  
 **And so you finally use it**  
 **Bedding with me you see at night**  
 **Your heart wears knight armour**

 **Hunger of the pine**  
 **(I'm a female rebel..."**

 **Please remember to review.**

 **I am thinking about getting an editor. Often times I make a lot of mistakes in the story because of me rushing to keep up with my weekly promises. So if anyone is interested, PM me please.**

 **-Kittykatky**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, okay, I get it, no more AN. I always thought that I was obligated to write one. Now that I know, I won't have to force myself to be entertaining. In and out, that's the new motto for moi.**

 **Sorry but I really like the lyrics… I'll shorten them I promise!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own, Naruto.**

Chapter 11

 _"Muhfirkith."Naruto murmured, half awake and half dead to the world._

 _She was leaning against the trunk of the tree while sitting on one of the higher branches._

 _She had been training earlier and having grown tired, decided to climb to a 'safer' place to settle in for a quick nap._

 _"Haven't you learnt your lesson, dobe?" a voice pierced her sleepy dreams._

 _Blinking wildly Naruto turned to see her eternal rival perched on a near-by branch._

 _"What do you want, Uchiha?"She grumbled in annoyance. "Can't you see I'm busy?"_

 _"Yeah… busy snoring."_

 _"Ï don't snore!"_

 _Ignoring her sputtered protests, Sasuke asked, "What were you mumbling about earlier?"_

 _"What was what?"Naruto asked completely forgetting that she wanted to box his ears red, while denying said snoring accusation._

 _"You were making some weird noise." Sasuke said steely eyes fixed on Naruto's own blue pair._

 _"Eh?" She flushed pink beneath her tanned skin._

 _Sasuke narrowed his eyes, suspicious of her behaviour._

 _"Well…I was just thinking well…I was wondering what my first kiss would be like." She whispered in confidence, hands cupped to her pink whiskered cheeks._

 _Sasuke frowned._

 _"Baka, don't you remember, what it was like? I was there."_

 _Sasuke cheeks pinked slightly._

 _"Yeah! But that doesn't count, right? I mean, we weren't expecting it…and it was not like we were hoping or wanting to kiss each other, right? So… it shouldn't have to count, right? Right, right?" Naruto leaned towards Sasuke, nodding her head before blinking and leaning back. "Well, of course...unless you want it to count. Do you?"_

 _"Well do you want it to count, dobe?" Retorted Sasuke coolly._

 _"Well, no! Of course not," she snapped at him. "My first kiss was- is supposed to be special! It wasn't –isn't suppose to be with you."_

 _Sasuke pursed his lips, his brows furrowing slightly._

 _"Well it happened with me, dobe; you can't just pretend it didn't happen."_

 _Naruto rolled her eyes at him._

 _"Well I guess I'm dreaming of my second first kiss."_

 _"There is no such thing." Sasuke interrupted._

 _She narrowed her eyes at him._

 _"Yes there is!" Naruto leaned over slightly towards Sasuke, gesturing for him to come closer. He did. "I heard that there are some people who have had a second first kiss! And each time when you have a kiss with them, it's like your very first kiss all over again!"_

 _It was Sasuke's turn to roll his eyes._

 _"Where did you hear that from?"_

 _"I overheard it when we were still at the academy- that when you kiss 'that special person' who I have no idea who that is, that the 'feelings' and if the mood is just right, it's like having your first kiss all over again. I would if I can find this person…. Who do I have to kiss to get my very first kiss ever?"_

 _"Usuratonkachi…I was your first kiss ever. That's the end of that. That's just stupid gossip."_

 _Naruto tsked at him, leaning away._

 _"I don't want you to be my first kiss. So there!"_

 _"Dobe…" sighed Sasuke, feeling frustrated since he couldn't find the words to explain. He resigned to just asking her about her first second kiss._

 _"How do you picture it then? Your second first kiss."_

 _She thoughtfully placed a finger on her lower lip._

 _"I always imagined having a perfect setting I guess. Like at a festival or something. And the both of us have just eaten something sweet like a caramel apple or maybe just some ramen…miso flavoured." Naruto closed her eyes imagining the scene she was painting for her teammate. "We'll talk for a while and then we'd just lean in," a brilliant smile lit her face, stunning Sasuke. "And then it would just happen. I imagine that I will be very nervous...excited. And he will taste like caramel and miso."_

 _Sasuke tried to push down the rising blush he could feel starting to warm his cheeks. He leapt over onto the branch she sat resting, sitting by her._

 _"Well, at least one of us got that right," grumbled Sasuke, kind of annoyed that Naruto had imagined all of that…without him. A nameless and faceless guy was good enough to be her first kiss and he wasn't?_

 _"Eh?" Naruto blinked open her eyes, staring at Sasuke. "What's that?"_

 _"I said," drawled Sasuke, eyes watching her face carefully, "that you tasted like miso ramen."_

 _He stooped before her._

 _"Whaa…pervert!" yelled Naruto, swinging her fist at Sasuke._

 _Sasuke caught Naruto's fist and glared at her._

 _"Calm down, stupid." Sasuke yawned._

 _Breathing heavily Naruto waited patiently from him to release her. Trying to pull away on her own, would just leave her breathless and him smirking at her lack of physical strength compared to him._

 _"You know I never pegged you to be the romantic sort." Sasuke continued._

 _"Oh, yeah? Yeah, well, uh…"Naruto blinked thoughtfully before smirking. "Well, you're the one still holding my hand."_

 _Sasuke glared, a hint of red blooming in his cheeks, dropping her hand quickly._

 _"Dobe."_

 _"Teme." She huffed back._

 _"Hn."_

 _She grinned happily. She had won that match._

 _"What happens when you don't get the butterflies and the fireworks?"_

 _Naruto pondered silently for a moment._

 _"Well I guess, I'll just have to wait for my third first kiss…we are allowed to have those, right? I mean if the first two weren't what you expected."_

 _Naruto frowned for a quick moment._

 _"But I guess that in that case, our kiss counted, ne?"_

 _It was pretty memorable…there was fireworks and butterflies._

 _"I think you tasted of tomatoes though. Ugh." Naruto tsked._

 _Sasuke swallowed hard, watching the series of emotions that ran over her face. Finally she shrugged._

 _"Nah. It doesn't matter."_

 _Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger._

 _She needed to make up her mind. Did it matter or not?_

 _"Ne, Sasuke, what do you want your second first kiss to be like?" Naruto grinned at Sasuke._

 _"Mhm?" Sasuke blinked over at her._

 _"What do you want your second kiss to be like?" Naruto looked mischievous._

 _Sasuke whirled on Naruto, leaning closer to the small girl. Naruto's breathe hitching in her throat._

 _"Getting too close, teme!" Naruto squealed, raising her hands to prevent him from entering her personal bubble._

 _"You wanna know?"Sasuke lowered his voice, leaning closer, a few inches separates them. Naruto's blue eyes widened in anticipation, looking up into the onyx eyes of her taller teammate._

 _Eeping, Naruto made to leap from between Sasuke and the tree trunk behind her. Sasuke prevented her escape by pinning the blonde to the tree._

 _"I was kidding!"She squealed_

 _He was not._

 _Digging his hand into the back her neck, he yanked her forward and kissed her._

 _For real this time._

 _Not the accidental peck that had happened two weeks prior, but the way he saw on the television, when he spared a moment from his training routine. He studied everything. Even stole the old pervert-Kakashi's book to get a few pointers- he actually ended up with more than he bargained for, but for him it was worth it._

 _And when he finally pulled away; Naruto's eyes were wide and a bit glazed, her cheeks flushed._

 _He licked his lips. She still tasted of miso ramen…but something else as well. Was it peaches?_

 _Sun ripened peaches._

 _"Now you know."_

 _And then, he shunshined away._

 _That'll shut her up about a second first kiss._

 **Six months after leaving Konoha:**

Sasuke woke from his rest with a loudly growling stomach.

He was hungry. And judging by the clock above his room door, it was 6, in the evening.

He made his way to the kitchen, where one of Orochimaru's servants would prepare a meal for him. Arriving there however, he was alone. The kitchen was empty. Which was odd, for a kitchen that was expected to feed the hundreds of servants of Orochimaru in about an hour's time for dinner?

Shrugging and not wanting to cook, Sasuke swept out of the base, and began his trek to the nearest village for a meal.

It took him no longer than 15 minutes to reach the village and begin his search for a meal. And when the familiar scent of ramen, hit his nostrils he made a face.

So unhealthy.

He would bet that Naruto would have been racing to that shop, yelling excitedly for a bowl of her favourite meal.

Glowering at the stall that he had unconsciously sought out, he sat in the furthest corner of restaurant.

His stomach growled loudly and he wondered where his sudden desire for ramen comes, he had no idea.

A skittish waitress made her way over to him.

"What will you be having?" she asked swallowing hard, intimidated by the young teen that stared up at her. His black eyes a dark void, seemingly sucking her into his despair and nothingness.

This child was dangerous…

And a prey always knew the feel of a hunter.

"I'll have anything, bring it to me quickly."

The woman nodded sharply and rushed away from him, calling out his order to the large man behind the counter.

Less than 5 minutes later, a steaming bowl of ramen was placed before him. He smelt it. And it smelt like miso.

Hesitantly he tried it.

The salty taste filled his mouth. And to his surprise he liked it.

 **2 months later**

"I want to learn Fuinjutsu."

Jiraya looked up from the scroll he was jotting into.

"Oh?" Jiraya sounded, looking up at the young girl that stood across from him. He rose a brow expectantly, waiting for her to explain.

"I've been thinking about it for a while," the blonde explained. "Ever since Orochimaru sealed the Nine-Tail's chakra in the Forest of Death during the Chuunin exams with the Five Element Seal, I have been thinking about it. Especially since whenever I lose control of the Kyuubi's chakra, you have to use a seal to suppress me. I think it will be very useful for me to know how to do and undo these jutsus."

Jiraya was surprised at his student's stream of words. Obviously she had been thinking about this for a long while.

"Well kid, that's some smart thinking!" Jiraya chuckled. "But I must say, Fuinjutsu is nothing like Taijutsu or Ninjutsu. You'll have a lot of studying to do. Lots of reading and writing. And I know you are not so hot in that department."

Naruto flushed in embarrassment, sad that she hadn't paid that much attention in the academy.

"Don't take it wrong, gaki, you weren't taught properly. That was not your fault." Jiraya cooed.

Naruto nodded, remembering her shady childhood and lack of guardians to teach her the basics of reading, of anything actually.

For everything she had to rely on the Third, who hardly had time for himself, much less one miserable child.

It sounded like a lot of work, especially considering her poor handwriting. Could she even properly draw the seals?

The dark voice within began rustling deep within her subconscious, waking to her doubt. Relishing in her uncertainty.

"I know you can do it, as long as you are willing to dedicate the time to. I would very much love to teach you the art of sealing, especially considering you are so greatly affected by the results of a sealing technique."

The girl nodded sharply, happy that he agreed to teach her Fuinjutsu. Happy that he had confidence in her learning ability and her strong will.

The voice within her grumbled, settling back down when the rush of pride over came her.

"Thank you."

Uchiha Itachi was not amused.

He was furious. Outwardly you may not be able to see it.

But it was there.

The fury was there. Just bubbling fiercely beneath the neutral face he always wore.

His little brother had betrayed Konoha and had joined the village's greatest enemy.

And damn it all to hell….and it was his entire fault.

He had not seen this coming. In fact, he may have miscalculated. All he ever wanted was to keep his little brother safe.

It was wrong for him to have pushed his bother unto the path of avenging.

How could he have been so stupid to think that hatred would have been the key to power?

Orochimaru had Sasuke in his slimy palm. Free to do whatever he wanted to.

To use him. To take his body.

Unwillingly, Itachi had played into the snake Sennin's hand. He remembered all too clearly when the sly old snake had tried to attack him. Luckily for him, his Mangekyou proved to be too much for Orochimaru to handle.

He needed to find a way to save his otouto.

He had failed once, but he would not fail again.

It was over his dead body that he would allow Sasuke to become the next vessel for Orochimaru.

Unfortunately for him he had no idea where Sasuke and Orochimaru were. The Sennin had hideouts all over the Elemental Nations. Finding his little brother would be difficult.

He needed a plan, and soon. He had three years to find his little brother, or by then it would be far too late to do anything.

Everything hurt.

Naruto groaned, her eyes fluttering open slowly. Her entire body felt sore and tender.

With shaky arms, Naruto pushed herself to her knees. A cold wind blew and she shivered, realizing that she was naked.

Why?

Her waist length hair was undone and flowing loosely around her, giving her some form of protection against prying eyes, if there was any around.

She wondered where Jiraya was.

"Ero-Sennin?" she called out, lifting her nose to scent her teacher.

Her sharp hearing picked out a pained groan in the bushes to her right. It sounded like her teacher.

She panicked.

"Oh no, what did I do?" she hissed to herself as she rushed over to where her teacher laid.

Jiraya lay stiff on his back, struggling to catch his breath. His shirt was torn and dead in the middle of his chest was a large raw wound. Naruto kneeled beside him, listening to his erratic heartbeat.

Her eyes prickled with tears.

"Jiraya? Oh shit, Ero-Sennin!"

"Calm down, Naruto." He spoke softly, wheezing. "I'll be fine….just, just get me my bag and get dressed, while you are at it."

His eyes were glazed, and a bit unfocused, she noted as she nodded her reply. Jumping to her feet, she rushed for her bag, her mind racing. Try to remember what happened.

She remembered that she had mentioned to Jiraya that the fox was healing all of her scars, except for the one that the Uchiha had bestowed upon her.

3 days prior she had received a rather deep cut on her back during a spar with the Sennin. It had healed without a scar in less than half a day, but yet, the chidori scar remained as an ugly reminder. A star like shaped scar over her heart and the counterpart on her back under her left scapula.

She and Jiraya had sat earlier this afternoon contemplating the Kyuubi's behaviour. Naruto had even tried to retreat into her mindscape, but it seems as if there was a barrier preventing her from doing so. So Jiraya tried to loosen the Hakke no Fuin. And from what she was seeing, that didn't work either.

Naruto dressed quickly in the spare outfit that Jiraya had bought her identical to the previous outfit that was nowhere to be found.

"What the hell happened?" she whispered shakily beneath her breath.

Even her hair bands were gone. She had nothing to retie her hair with, so she left it loose around her.

She rushed over to her teacher who was struggling to sit up on his own. She handed him the bag, her hands shaking.

"What happened?"

Groaning Jiraya began to dress his wound.

"You lost control…you developed the four-tails…you attacked me."

 **'Monster…'**

 **"And I hate that I can't say your name. Without feeling like I'm part of the blame.**

 **And it's never gonna feel like the same. But it's never gonna change.**

 **And I hate that I'm always so young. Had me feeling like you were the one." – Broods.**

 **Please review. It helps.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Whoops. I missed the due date! And the chapter is short. Sorry guys. I will try to have another update in the week for you. Please review. Tell me where you think I should be going with the storyline. I'll take it into consideration.**

 **I do not own Naruto**

Chapter 12

2 years, 8 months later.

It had not been easy finding Sasuke. Not only was it the fact that Orochimaru had hideouts all across the country, but also due to the fact that the Akatsuki was keeping a close eye on all of its member's movements. His watchdog was in the form of a fish walking on land- Hoshigaki Kisame.

It was a great difficulty in keeping his search a secret, but nothing was impossible for the Uchiha slayer. He had managed to shake off his partner in the Land of Hot Water, and would rejoin him after.

Still it had taken him a couple of years to find his younger brother, almost three years. Luckily the search gave him enough time to come up with a plan of some sorts.

Itachi knew that the second his little brother laid eyes on him; he would try to kill him. Of course, he was not worried that Sasuke could actually defeat him. At least, not yet.

He found him at the Northern border of the Land of Waves. Usually he would have taken the next couple of days to scope out his younger brother, but then again, he had not expected to come upon his brother's hands wrapped tightly around the neck of a pleading young woman.

"Uchiha-sama, I am sorry," the woman blubbered, staring up into the dark eyes of the younger Uchiha.

Her small hands clawed at Sasuke's wrist, blood springing forth from the deep scratches.

"I warned you." He deadpanned before snapping the woman's neck.

And with a disgusted 'Hn', Sasuke released the woman and watched as she crumpled to the ground. The woman was still alive, faintly breathing, struggling to take in her final breaths. Sasuke had chosen not to break her neck cleanly; he wanted her to suffer in her last moments.

Itachi's brow rose elegantly in surprise. He had not expected his brother to have grown so callously.

But then again, Sasuke was not being mentored by the most sadistic man for nothing.

Sasuke had grown, Itachi noted, but he was still smaller than Itachi. In the last couple of years, his hair had not changed from his usual hairstyle and much to Itachi's distaste; the younger Uchiha had taken up the look of Orochimaru.

Sasuke looked up and away from the woman's pleading eyes, only to make eye contact with another pair of eyes, very much like his own. His eyes widened in shock before narrowing in distrust. Schooling his face back to his usual scowl, Sasuke spoke, "Itachi."

His voice had deepened, sounding very much like their father.

"Otouto." Itachi greeted, titling his head slightly, "You have grown."

Sasuke's eyes flared red, Sharingan activating. Three tomoe spinning wildly.

"You dare to call me that?"

"Are you not my little brother?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"What do you want Itachi?" Sasuke growled

Itachi activated his Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Not _want_ , brother, _need_ ," he simply said and instantly, Sasuke was caught in Itachi's genjutsu.

"What are you blabbering about?" Sasuke hissed.

"I need to know why you have left Konoha."

"You damn well know why I left that puny village. To gain strength and defeat you."

Sasuke launched him.

"Do you think that was wise?" Itachi asked, evading Sasuke's fist, side stepping his attacks. Sasuke aimed another punch at Itachi's stomach, only to hit air. Staggering, Sasuke pulled out his sword in one fluid motion, spinning to face his brother behind him.

"I do not see this…'strength' you speak of."

Growling in anger, Sasuke prepared to launch at Itachi again, when Itachi spoke.

"What have you left behind in that village?"

Sasuke paused, taken off guard by the question asked.

"What?"

"Even yet, a better question, my dear brother is; why did you kill her?"

Itachi stood pointing at the young woman, who lay broken on the ground by his feet, her breathing now short gasps. Her blonde hair was splayed haphazardly around her. Her skin was losing colour rapidly, her lips blue.

 _What?_ Sasuke stumbled back.

There was no way she could be here….but there was no way he could deny that orange jumpsuit.

"Naruto?" his voice was shaky.

Itachi was fascinated; clearly his otouto was no longer seeing the browned hair woman, but his childhood companion. He watched as his younger brother cautiously circles him, inching closer to the body on the ground.

"Sas….ke," Naruto choked out, blue eyes staring up at Sasuke in disbelief and pain. "Why…"

Sasuke knelt slowly beside her, reaching out a shaky hand, touching a golden stand.

"I," he started.

Sasuke did not know what to do. He was sure that he didn't kill Naruto. He was fighting his older brother.

Did his brother bring her?

Sasuke looked towards were his brother stood mere moments ago, but he was gone.

No wait; it was not his brother who did this. She was here, all along. And she even had pleaded with him mere moments before.

Itachi watch from within the shadows as Sasuke's warped mind and the genjutsu he placed on him, painted and entirely different picture, than what had happened. Or what he expected.

"Sassss,"

Sasuke eyes focussed once more on the blonde girl.

"Why did you kill me, Sasuke?" Beautiful, round blue eyes pierced into him.

Paling, Sasuke cringed at her words. Her voice and eyes were full of accusation.

"Why did you leave me alone?"

The raven saw the pain in her eyes, and knew that it was not her broken neck alone that was causing her this ache.

He had left her. Abandoned her. Even though she had pleaded for him to stay with her. He had shoved a chidori through her chest, aiming to kill. And now, he had broken her neck and she could hardly breathe…she was dying.

"Why?" her voice was impossibly louder now, even more accusing. "How could you? You said I was your closest friend!"

He needed to say something…anything. He needed to make up for this. Needed to tell her he didn't want to.

"Naruto, I…" he didn't know what to say.

He hadn't meant to punch a hole through her chest, and he sure as hell hadn't meant to have snapped her neck. He never wanted to kill her, but killing Itachi was more important…right?

The blonde's eyelids flutter, lowering slowly over cornflower blues.

"No Naruto!"

Sasuke panicked, gently pulling the blonde girl into his arms. "Don't you die on me, dobe!"

Wrapping her in his arms, Sasuke stood quickly, raking his brain for the nearest hospital. Looking down on his former teammate, her head hung awkwardly from her neck. The closet hospice was civilian. There was no way they could help her.

Shit. Who the hell could heal a broken neck?

"Don't die, please. I'm sorry. Shit! fuck!" Sasuke cursed dashing towards the closest village.

He didn't care that he was shouting at the dying girl. "Naruto, do you hear me! Don't you dare die!"

Naruto wheezed, her eyes opening again. But suddenly Sasuke very much wished they had remained closed. The way she looked at him. Too many emotions swirled deeply in her blue eyes.

Pain.

Confusion.

Accusation.

Hatred.

There was a coldness in them that made him shiver.

Her look had stopped him in mid run.

"I hate you." Naruto's voice was steady and unwavering.

Her eyes gave a final flutter, closing. The short gasps of breath, no longer being drawn.

She was dead.

"No!" Sasuke grunted, gritting his teeth, falling to his knees.

There was no mistaking it. He had killed her.

The dobe. His bestfriend?

Hot tears ran down pale cheeks, wetting the younger girl's face.

The blonde's last words played over and over on his head.

 _'I hate you Sasuke.'_

Knowing that the only person he had ever considered a friend had died hating him, hurt. His chest felt as if it was on fire and the dull ache that was his companion peaked. The pain consuming him. It surged through his body, feeding on his self-loathing.

All thought of Itachi was gone, as Sasuke held onto his former rival and bestfriend.

Sasuke passed out before Itachi released the genjutsu.

The older Uchiha stood in silence over his brother's unconscious form and the dead woman's body. This was something that surprised in Itachi. He had not planned for things to turn out as such. The genjutsu he had cast on the boy was supposed to show his greatest fear. He had expected a vision of him murdering Sasuke, or even Sasuke reliving the night of the massacre. He had not expected this.

Sasuke's greatest fear was killing Naruto? Or losing Naruto? Or Naruto telling him she hated him? Maybe all of them?

Itachi pondered on how he would use this new information to his advantage. Dismissing his former plans, Itachi pondered on his options.

Sasuke was unconscious, and sure as hell was not going to let go of the body that he thought was Naruto's corpse. Yes, he could easily take Sasuke with him…but where would he put him?

Surely he could never bring him back to Akatsuki. He would never let Tobi lay a hand on his otouto. But he couldn't take him back to Konoha either. The 'Kill on sight' order on Itachi and probably Sasuke's head would be a huge risk factor.

A cave?

Would he stay if he woke….no of course not.

Maybe tied up?

Not plausible.

Itachi didn't like it, but he had no choice but to leave Sasuke with Orochimaru for the time being.

Sighing sorrowfully, Itachi walked away, a new and better plan already forming in his head. Hopefully the next plan's outcome would not stump him as much as this plan had.

 **Ciao. See ya soon.**

 **"Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck."- F U N**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13- Of Monsters and Men**

Naruto slowly and carefully placed her chopsticks by her empty ramen bowl.

"Do you want another?"Asked Jiraya as he shovelled the remainder of his meal into his mouth.

Naruto shook her head 'no', a cause for Jiraya to raise a brow quizzically before reaching across the table to check her temperature.

"Are you sick?"

"No."Naruto tsked, slapping his hand away from her forehead.

"But you only had three bowls!"

"Yeah…and?"

"THREE!"

Naruto glared at him before crinkling her nose in annoyance

"I can control myself you know, Pervy-Sage."

Reaching over the table, the old man ruffled her hair.

"Someone's growing up!"

Naruto was now grown indeed. Now a young woman of fifteen, she had changed in many ways- mentally.

Emotionally…was a whole different level, seemingly having shut off herself from the many suitors that had approached them in their travels. Not that Jiraya even allowed them anywhere near his goddaughter while he was around.

Physically, she had not grown that much, she had only managed to gain a few inches on her height. This, Jiraya surmised was due to the lack of proper nourishment in her earlier years. Thus why he went around; force feeding her vegetables and fruits and other nutritious meals other than ramen itself whenever he could. No matter how much she begged and pleaded, there were days, weeks even that she was forced to live without her beloved ramen.

Happily on his part- on behalf of her future husband of course- she had finally begun to grown some sort of cleavage. It was small…but it was there…kinda.

"Hey!" She protested, pushing away his hand before patting down her braided hair neatly.

Naruto's blonde hair had grown longer and was neatly French-braided and attached to each end of her locks, was a sharp kunai blade. Another amusing and nostalgic thing about her was that as her hair grew longer, the redder the tips became. She was a mixture of both her always was, but it was now becoming more and more obvious. The baby fat on her face had melted away, revealing high cheek bones and an elegant nose. She had her mother's nose.

Narutohowever crinkled her nose as her father would.

"I told you to stop doing that. My hair is already wild as it is. It doesn't need any help from you, Old man."

"Right right, this old geezer forgot." He said as he waved over the waiter, indicating for their check.

"Jiraya, can I ask you something."

"Speak." The Sennin said, shooting her an encouraging smile.

"It's a bit personal, dattebayo."

The verbal tick was definitely from her mother.

He shrugged, "Just ask."

She pursed her lips before finally asking, "What was it like when you were a genin?"What was it like being on a team with Obaa-chan and Orochimaru…?"

Jiraya paused for awhile. He had not expected this question.

Naruto stared at him, unblinkingly.

Clearing his throat, he scratched the back of his neck.

"The Sandaime…was a strict teacher, but he loved us. The team was formed when I…we were just about six years old. Children…we were just children then, but hell we were a lot to handle." He chuckled. "I was very loud, abrasive even, and pretty fucking clumsy."

Naruto grinned at his curse word.

"Ooooh, I'm telling Baa-chan!" she snickered.

"Ah shut your trap," he huffed. "I was pretty much exactly like you, brat."

"Hey! Don't compare me to you, you nasty old geezer."Naruto scoffed, offended.

Jiraya shook his head, with a small smile.

"Orochimaru and I were always in a competition with each other. Always trying to best the other… Very much so like the Uchiha and yourself."

He watched as Naruto winced at the mention of the 'boy-who-shall-not-be-named'.

"We were always fighting, always trying to one up each other. And Sarutobi-sensei definitely had to break up a lot of 'fights-to-the-death' spars; we often got caught up in."

Naruto nodded, totally understanding what he meant.

"But still…he was my best friend."

Naruto watched her sensei, slightly amused by how similar her story was to her teacher's. It was history repeating itself. Orochimaru had betrayed Jiraya and his village. And Naruto could see that like her, he was still reeling from the shock of the betrayal of their best friends. The usually tough man's eyes were unfocused, as if he was staring inside himself, reliving the memory; of the exposure of Orochimaru's illegal experiments, then his deflection.

"You know I promised myself that I would bring him back…I just couldn't accept the weight of what he had actually done." He stopped, swallowing the large lump in his throat. "I have never succeeded though. He's too far gone for me to do so. I noticed that; the last time I saw him that the Orochimaru that I knew…that I grew up with, was no longer there. He no longer existed, swallowed up by the maniac he had become." Jiraya shook his head, before smiling a sad smile, staring directly into her large cornflower blue eyes. "It's hard to accept, but some people have no desire to be saved, especially from themselves."

Naruto lowered her gazed, drawing the tip of her index finger's nail over the wooden table. Her thoughts drifting to the Uchiha.

How much had he changed since he joined Orochimaru? Would he be the same? Would she even recognise him? Can he be saved? And would she even want to save him?

Sasuke awoke to the feeling of extreme nausea. Disoriented, his head throbbed painfully against his temple and he was oddly aware of the dull ache in his chest.

As a companion to his every waking moment for the last 6 years, Sasuke had learned to live with it. Learned to not let it consume him, however today, the ach felt as if it was new, almost like the day of the massacre, almost like after the fight at the Valley of End, when he abandoned Naruto.

 _Naruto…._

Jolting up into a sitting position, his memories flooded back.

He had _killed_ Naruto.

Grasping at the heated skin over his heart, he squinted in pain, squeezing back the burning in his eyes and his lungs.

Was this how she felt when she couldn't breathe anymore? Is this how it felt to struggle for air?

 _"I hate you Sasuke."_

Naruto's last words to him.

Did she really hate him? How could she not! Look at all the shit he had done to her. He killed her.

Inadvertently.

What was she doing there?

Why was everything so jumbled in his mind?

He…remembers that he was sent on a mission by Orochimaru. And suddenly Itachi was there…what had he wanted? And why was Naruto with him? And then suddenly it was only her, broken and dying in his arms.

His spiralling thoughts were cut short at the sounding of a door creaking open.

 _A door?_

Eyes snapping open, Sasuke looked around, staring briefly at the wall.

There was no mistaking it. He had somehow ended up back in Orochimaru's hideout. There was no mistaking the strange designs of this wall, a tribute to their owner and creator.

Glancing through the corner of his eye, he watched as Kabuto stroll casually into his room.

"Awake I see."

Sasuke stared blankly at him.

"What happened?"

For a moment Kabuto was silent.

"During your mission, your chakra signature spiked unusually. Luckily I wasn't too far as I was monitoring your progress for Lord Orochimaru. You were unconscious, when I found you, slumped over the body of the waitress." The grey-haired shinobi looked at him questioningly. "Do you remember what happened?"

"No." He lied, agitated, his thoughts whirling.

Now he remembered.

He had to kill Fuyu…

The ramen shop waitress who had gotten too close to him…

Orochimaru did not like that. Not one bit.

So…he ordered him to kill her. To prove his loyalty, or else he would stop training him.

So he killed her. He warned her to stay away from him, but she did not listen. That was her fault.

"There were remnants of a genjutsu around you." Kabuto said, breaking Sasuke's train of thoughts.

At his words, a wave of relief washes over him, confirming that he was indeed tricked by Itachi. Itachi had tricked him into seeing Fuyu's death as Naruto's death. He hadn't actually killed her!

 _Not Naruto._

He didn't kill Naruto.

The swirl of confusing emotions within him was so strong; he had to look away from Kabuto. Not even he could hide the wave of relief that crossed his usually stoic features.

The pressure on his chest eased just a bit.

 _Why would Itachi seek me out just to put a genjutsu on me?_

Sasuke could not fathom why his older brother had not just killed him right then and there. He had just left him behind, after torturing him of course. He could have killed him effortlessly. He was still nowhere close to his brother's strength.

And why would Itachi cast a genjutsu on him with Naruto in it? Was he hoping that Sasuke knew where she would be? After all the last time they had saw each other, Itachi and his fishy partner had tried to kidnap Naruto. And that too was another question, why were they after her?

There were too many unanswered questions bouncing around haphazardly in his mind.

"Oh…by the way Sasuke-kun, Orochimaru-sama has informed me that you have failed the mission. You are still very weak…therefore training will commence in 5 minutes."

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood. His legs were a bit shaky, so he locked his knees, drawing himself to his full height.

He was ready for his punishment.

Jiraya was planning to return to Konoha within the next two days. They had been gone for almost the full two and a half years that he had promised. Naruto cringed at what awaited her in Konoha.

No one.

Only Granny Tsunade, but was that enough? Would she be enough to fill that gaping hole in the middle of her chest?

Jiraya had stated that now was good time for them to return to the village. The Akatsuki would soon be making their first move, and he would prefer her to be within the village.

Protected.

Naruto watched as Jiraya made to get from his seat.

"Wait, Jiraya-sama…" Naruto started, still seated, hands folded neatly in her lap.

Puzzled, Jiraya lowered himself back into the chair.

"Is there something else you wanted to ask me?"

Naruto nodded, lowering her eyes.

He was startled when Naruto gently placed her Konoha forehead protector in the middle of the cleared table.

His heart sped up and he stared down at his protégé.

"What are you doing?" He asked, frowning.

Naruto swallowed hard, staring into the eyes of her teacher.

"I want you to keep this for me till I come back…if I come back."

Jiraya stared silently for a short moment at Naruto, before erupting.

"What are you hell talking about?!" Jiraya bellowed, smashing his fist down onto the wooden table, breaking it, drawing the attention of the other customers in the restaurant.

Naruto sat quietly watching Jiraya. She knew that he would have had this reaction. But she was prepared.

"What the hell are you thinking young lady? Konohagakure is your home! How could you even think, I would allow you to-?"

Naruto listened to Jiraya, her face blank.

The sobering expression on her face made his rant fade off into nothingness…

The restaurant's waitress rushed over to their table.

"S-s-sir." The terrified young woman stuttered.

Jiraya held up his hand, silencing her. "I'll pay for it."

The young girl bowed in relief and quickly dismissed herself.

"I," Naruto began, "I had always wanted to become Hokage. Do you know why?"

Jiraya sat quietly, waiting for the girl to answer her own question.

"When I was younger, I asked the Third, why he cared so much about me, seeing that I was an orphan, and according the limited knowledge I had in my little brain, orphans have no family. And family was only to care for family. Sarutobi Ji-ji told me that all the villagers were his family, because he was their Hokage and therefore I was his family too. So I came up with this brilliant plan! If I became Hokage, then everyone would be my family! Everyone would care about me, and love me. Acknowledge me…"

Naruto chuckled darkly, raising her eyes to Jiraya's, a sad smile on her face.

"What a load of bullshit that was." She snarled, "I know now, that…that would be fucking impossible. No matter how much I sacrifice, no matter how much I would bleed for them. Those people will always hate me. Those villagers would never make me their Hokage, they hated my very existence. 'The demon brat'. Those people will never allow me into the position of power."

Jiraya was anxious to interrupt her; to deny what even he knew was true. The Council would never appoint, nor even nominate the Uzumaki girl, as a candidate for the next Hokage.

"I no longer want to become the Hokage. I no longer want to remain in a village that hates me. They would rather see me dead than see me step back into Konoha."

"I had wanted to be acknowledged and form bonds with everyone. I was so desperate in need of love, and a family and attention, that I actually forgot how much I hated acting like a nuisance. This mask that I forced upon myself; annoyed not only me but everyone around me. Including you! I mean the first time you met me, you thought I was a dumb loud-mouthed dead last."

Jiraya winced guilty, his brow furrowing, trying to think of ways to stop the girl from going any further. He knew where she was going with the conversation and he did not like it.

"Naruto-"

"Don't worry, I don't blame you. I was nothing but an idiot back then. And honestly I must thank you for giving me the chance to become who I am now. You saw beyond the clumsiness and the shit-eating grin. "

Jiraya blinked back at the moisture collecting in his eyes. Between his rage and his sadness for the younger girl, Jiraya didn't have any words.

"I'm not going back with you. I'm not going back to that village until I know who I am as a person. Not this fake," she gestured to herself, "whatever the fuck this is."

 **"Take everything from me.**

 **And do for me, even if the world doesn't hold the answers.**

 **Move forward and burn it all down."- Gangsta**

So my pretties, as you can see I have not forgotten you. Just the end of my school semester. Not sure when the next installment would be, but look forward to it.

Please review. I really need to know what you guys think about the story. Are you enjoying it?


	14. Chapter 14

**Gonna apologize from now. The chapter is not very long. Very short actually. Life and writer's block has not been very nice to me lately.**

 **Chapter 14- Of Monsters and Men**

Jiraya had done everything in his power to convince the young girl to return to her home with him.

He demanded, he pleaded, he tried to coerce and when those things in particular did not work, he settled for good old fashion tough love.

"This is for your own good you brat," he said to her while nursing a bite wound on his arms. "You are going home and that's final, young lady!"

Naruto herself would have answered with a snide remark, but her mouth was sealed shut.

She was bound and thrown-ahem-'tucked' neatly into her sleeping bag.

Jiraya quickly unsealed her mouth, seeing as her face was turning into a curious shade of red that almost matched the ends of her hair.

Pulling the seal from her mouth allowed her to spew a barrage of curse words, learned over the years to the night sky and Jiraya's poor virgin ears.

"You really need to cut down of the cursing," he said, taking a seat by the fire he had just started to build. "No man will be willing to marry you if you keep that up. At least, no man in his right mind…"

Jiraya shook his head at his statement.

He recalling saying a very similar thing to Naruto's mother and to his dismay, his not so mentally stable student had taken a great liking to her.

"Getting married is the least of my problem you fucking pervert," she hissed.

Jiraya sighed.

Then again….

"You must have lost it, you old wretched man! Let me go,"

Jiraya poked at her, wrapped tightly in the sleeping bag with the ball of his foot.

"That's not gonna happen, Naruto and you know it," Jiraya huffed. "You better get comfortable and rest up for tomorrow, we have a long day ahead of us."

Naruto gritted her teeth as Jiraya rolled her into her tent.

"Goodnight, gaki."

She didn't reply.

 **O.M.A.M**

Naruto pushed herself to go faster.

There was only a few minutes left until sunrise and she wanted to be at least three villages over before Jiraya woke to find her gone.

She had unsealed herself around 3 am and in her place, she had left a clone, with the instructions to distract her mentor for as long as it could.

It had not dispersed as yet and she took that as a good sign, that she had yet to be discovered missing.

She knew she would miss her teacher….

 **"Are you regretting it?"** cooed the dark voice

No, she certainly did not regret her decision; she needed time to find herself. And she needed time to find a way to get rid Hoka and get in contact with the Kyuubi.

She had named the dark voice in her head, refusing to acknowledge that this voice was a part of her. By now she was used to her snide remarks and doubtfulness.

 **"We have nowhere to go, where are you running to?"**

 _None of your business_ , Naruto hissed back in her mind. _Stay in your place._

She clenched her fist tightly, pushing the voice from the forefront of her mind.

She needed to concentrate…she needed to figure out what she was gonna do with herself from now on.

 **O.M.A.M**

Three weeks without food. Sasuke didn't think it would be as physically tiring as it actually was. He had prepared himself for the mental pain, the constant stings of hunger that had racked his body the first two weeks. The gnawing feeling had crept up on him in the third week but he had been ready for that as well.

What he hadn't expected was the drowsiness. Being stuck in the same, lightless, room for twenty-one days, the only source of light left him blind whenever the door opened. At that point, he kept his eyes shut when Kabuto came to give him water. That was four times a day, six hours between each echo of footsteps and the creaking of the door opening.

He was tired, a majority of his muscles ached and his eyes always felt heavy no matter how many hours he slept. During the first two weeks he had done countless things to pass the time in the darkness, anything to keep his mind busy. Now, he tried to keep his mind blank, to stop himself from thinking about hunger.

It had been over a year and a half since he had abandoned Konoha but this was his first test of hunger. Three weeks, he would be doing much longer periods of time later on. Orochimaru had promised him that. The gnawing came back with force, his stomach cramping fiercely. He brought his hand to his stomach, it had been taught before, now his stomach dipped below his hips, more boney than it had been in the fifteen years of his life. He was always well fed back in Konoha and up until his 'punishment'.

His arms and legs had lost the little fat he'd had along with most of his muscle. He had taken to just lying or sitting down on the stone bed when he was too hungry to train, too tired to stand or pace. Sighing, Sasuke opened his eyes and traced the lines etched into the ceiling in the darkness, something he had taken to when all he could do was lay in bed, lacking the energy to do anything else.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, their dull thudding growing louder as the person got closer and closer to Sasuke's cell. The door opened and light flooded into the small cell, coloured spots dancing underneath his eyelids.

"Sasuke." Kabuto's voice rang through the Uchiha's ears, the rankly sweet sound of someone else to keep Sasuke from losing the last of his sanity. "Water."

Sighing, Sasuke brought his hands to the stone he lay upon and sat up, using his arms for support. The white haired male stepped up to the stone bed, bringing his unnaturally cold hands to Sasuke's shoulders, helping the younger boy sit up with his eyes still closed.

Holding his hands out, Sasuke waited for Kabuto to place the cup of water in his hands and when the small wooden cup was securely in his grasp he brought it up to his mouth, dry mouth flooded with the cool liquid. He drank it down in three gulps, the foul aftertaste making him frown. Squinting into the light, Sasuke licked his lips, trying to figure out what he had just swallowed.

"That wasn't just water." Sasuke murmured. His head was starting to feel dizzy and what little eyesight he had was slipping away.

"I meant to say that it was mostly water." Kabuto snickered, "Please, do forgive me Uchiha-sama."

Light and shadows blurred together as Kabuto's hands held onto his shoulders, their clamminess sending shivers down Sasuke's spine as he fell into oblivion.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Yeaaa. I do not own the characters, just half the story.

Chapter 15- Of Monsters and Men

Haruno Sakura stood patiently by her master's desk. Tsunade groaned exasperatedly as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Sakura eyed her teacher's desk and Sakura wondered for the umpteenth time if it was not just this morning that she and Shizune-san had organized the Hokage's desk. It was nothing short of a miracle that Tsunade could manage such a feat in such a short amount of time. Today it seemed as if the chaos was even messier than usual.

With a heavy sigh, Sakura watched as Tsunade basically shove half the contents of the desk onto the floor.

She was going to have to schedule another cleaning again.

"I know I had it somewhere," she mumbled under her breath.

Tsunade was nervous, this Sakura could see. She was too, after all Naruto was to return today.

"Where the hell is that damn box!!" Tsunade screeched.

With a groan Sakura leaned over and opened the third draw on Tsunade's desk. She pulled out a small blue and placed it before her teacher.

"Thank you Haruno." Tsunade answered with a nod. "Yoü're a life saver. Dunno what I would do without you and Shizune."

"Hmm."

She was used to this.

It has been almost three years since she had become Tsunade's apprentice.

At first Sakura was apprehensive about her tutorship but even though Tsunade had openly berated her for her treatment of Naruto, she was a just and fair teacher that suppressed and and all of her bias for the pink-haired girl.

In the beginning she had tried to apologize to Tsunade but she was stonily informed by her Hokage that she was not the victim.

The Hokage had informed her that she had gotten this opportunity because she was recommended by her former sensei due to her excellent skill in chakra control with a vast book knowledge as an added bonus. Sakura had proven herself to be a talented medical kunoichi.

Sakura eyes widen in surprise as Tsunade seemed to be trying to neaten her appearance at the same time, the sound of wooden sandals clapped softly on the balcony outside of the office.

The blonde Hokage leapt from her seat, her face alit a soft smile.

"I see you are hardly working as usual Tsunade-hime."

A tall white-haired man crept through the window and pulled her teacher into a big hug before she could greet him with her usual bone crushing punch.

"You big oaf! You haven't seen me in so long and that's the greeting I get!! I work hard, unlike you, you big buffoon."

Sakura watched the old friends bicker with each other and for a moment Sakura was reminded of her old teammates.

With a gulp, Sakura recited her apology in her head. It was a speech she had been coining since the day she found out the naruto had left the village.

Shit, she forgot how it started.

Sakura peered behind Jiraya and out the window and out the window expecting to see Naruto, she frowned.

'Where was she?'

Sakura noticed the man freeze, his eyes swinging over to her.

Did she say that outloud?

The tall man squirmed as Tsunade peered over his broad shoulder.

"Where's Naruto, Jiraya?" asked Tsunade as she pulled away from his entranced.

"Well, she...well you see the thing is-"Jiraya was stuttering.

"The thing is she didn't want to return."Tsunade and Sakura gasped, "As yet!" Jiraya continued, his palms up, gesturing for the women to calm down. "She'll be back soon. She said, she wanted some more time away! But she will be back."

All the blood seemed to have rushed to her teacher's head.

"And you just let her go! How? How could you let her go!" She began stuttering angrily.

Her voice was loud and the office seemed to be shaking beneath her wrath.

Sakura swallowed hard, her heart thumping in her head.

Naruto wasn't coming back.

Was this all her fault.

Jiraya spared her a quick glance and for a moment he seemed to pity her.

Sakura swallowed hard.

"Shishou,"her voice sounded extra squeaky. "Excuse me!"

With a quick bow, Sakura rushed to the door, she couldn't bear to hear them speak of Naruto and she couldn't bear the look of pure dislike that Tsunade had shot her as well.

This was all her fault.

O.M.A.M

"Oh my God! It's nothing I've ever seen before! Round after round Dish after dish. And they are still going! Will this ever end! Will the champ be replaced?!" The announcer's voice rang through the crowd everyone s eyes and mouth gape watching the slight young girl shoveling bowls of pork miso ramen down her throat.

Naruto Uzumaki was a competitor never seen before and Tatsuo Iroki was not very pleased with the way things were going.

He was 5 bowls behind and time was running out.

From the corner of his eye, he watched as the young girl cheerfully placed down her empty bowl and call for another one.

Dammit that was 6 bowls now.

He could not for see himself winning the competition but he also could not see himself give up.

With a loud belch Tatsuo place down his own empty bowl crying for another.

"We only have a minute left on the clock and it may be too early to call a winner but I think we know who it is!"

"Naruto! Naruto! Naruto!"

Then girl beamed from behind her bowl, blushing bashfully as she slurped up the remainder of her soup. She too belched and Tatsuo was offended that it was louder than his.

What the hell was this kid!

"And the countdown begins 5,4,3,2,1! We have a new champion! Naruto Uzumaki!"

The defeated man watched as the young girl was yanked out of her chair and throw into the air.

They never did that for him before...

Then again, they never could even if they wanted to...

Slamming his bowl on the table, Tatsuo stood quickly as his body could and began to protest.

"It was rigged! This was all planned! How could a little girl like her beat me!"

His yelling was drowned by the cheers, no one heard him except of course, Naruto, who gave him a sly smile before mouthing the words, 'Sore Loser'.

O.M.A.M

The first thing Sasuke thought about, was how cold it was.

Every hair on his body was raised and every pore puckered. He shuddered sharply, his body trying to raise it's temperature.

It didn't work.

His brows knitted together in frustration and slight confusion.

'What the hell was going on. ..'

"Sasuke-kun, I see that you are awake."

Sasuke's eyes snapped open to see Kabuto standing over him, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

"The experiment was a success, if you are wondering."

"What did you do to me?" Sasuke asked, licking his dry lips, his throat parched and dry as if it hosted the deserts of Sun a within itself.

He dared not to ask for water again, especially after what happened the last time.

"Nothing of much concern."

Sasuke watched as Lord Orochimaru stepped out, writhing from the shadows of the room like the snake he was.

"What have you done to me? " Sasuke repeated.

"I have only made a...few minor adjustments to your body, Sasuke-kun. Your stamina, your strength and your healing abilities have been boosted drastically. Your body, the masterpiece that it is, like my own is now impervious to all toxins and venoms. Your bones are now denser, so I could easily say, it would be harder to break you in battle. You'll also need to get used to the increase in your body mass, of course, walking should be a hassle at first, but I know you will surpass that small limitation in no time."

A faint buzzing began to echo in his ear.

Sasuke's brows was twisted in anger and through clenched teeth he spoke,

"I only asked for you to train me, not make me into one of your experiments!"

"My boy! You are worth far more to me than just a mere experiment! I would never intentionally harm the body of whom I consider to be my own flesh and blood! You are like a son to me, basically a part of me, and I, Sasuke-kun, would never harm an extension of myself. "

Sasuke watched add the older man slither closer to him, slipping to sit beside him on the cot.

Sasuke sassy up quickly, surprised at his own speed even though his body seemed to weigh him down.

What the hell did they do to him?

Sasuke's face remained impassive as Orochimaru patted his hand in clear mockery of compassion and affection.

He narrowed his eyes at the Sannin's hand resting on his. Then usual jolt of fear and disgust that would have accompanied Orochimaru's touch was pleasantly and disturbingly missing.

He relished at the feeling of nothingness but at the same time- he did not like that he was getting used to the old geezer's touch.

Or did he?

With a quick turn of wrist, Sasuke capture Orochimaru's hand within his own. Tightening his grip, Sasuke raised his gaze to watch his teacher's face. Orochimaru cringed and briefly a flicker of fear crossed his face.

"Lord Orochimaru," started Kabuto, panicked.

"Hush." The man hissed out.

A soft sneer was playing on both their faces, student and teacher facing off.

Sasuke rolled his knuckles, his scowl growing deeper.

His sharingan activating.

"Are you done?" Hissed Orochimaru, a sheen of sweat gathering on his upper lip.

Sasuke's lips parted and a twisted smile was revealed.

For a moment, Sasuke wondered if it was normal to feel this bloodthirsty.

"Almost...I'm just testing the waters that I have been so graciously trusted in...but as thankful as I am Lord Orochimaru, I reiterate," Sasuke's voice was dark and sharp. "I did not sign up for you to experiment on me, please refrain from doing so another time."

With a pained grimace the Sannin answered.

"I will take that into consideration, but I must say, it is true that you did not sign up for that. But I do remember you asking me for help in defeating your brother and at the level you were, you never stood a chance. Am I not right, Sasuke? The last family reunion was an attest to that."

Sasuke kept a constant pressure on the man's hand.

He was angry.

At himself and at his teacher.

How did he find out about his brother?

Sasuke shot a quick glance at the white haired missing nin, knowing he had something to do it.

"Nevertheless, my boy, I am accomplishing my side of the bargain. You are now one step closer to avenging your clans, thanks to me."

Sasuke loosened his grip.

The Sannin smiled painfully at him, carefully pulling his hand from with his grip.

"How long have I been out." Sasuke asked, his gaze sliding over to Kabuto.

"It has been exactly 3 weeks and 2 days, which I must say is accomplishment even for a Uchiha."

Orochimaru stood from the bed.

"I must go now, Sasuke. Kabuto, I'll leave the rest to you."

"Yes Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto answered with a quick bow.

Sasuke watched the back of his retreating master, confident that he had fully expressed his displeasure with what had been done to him.

"Most subjects are out for much longer, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto continued, jotting down into his notepad. "I surmised that this might be due to the combination of the cursed seal as well as your strong will. Training resumes in a day."

Spinning quickly on his heels, Kabuto briskly walked out of the room, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts and a faint burning sensation emitting from the cursed mark.

O.M.A.M

"Here you go Naruto-chan. your winnings! And congrats!"

With a large grin, Naruto pocketed her earnings and patted her slightly protruding stomach.

"I guess this finally came in handy!" she yelled.

"I still have no idea where you managed to place all that food," muttered the restaurant's owner. "At least with Tatsuo we knew it was all over his body."

Naruto bursted out in laughter.

"I have a faster metabolism! It runs in my family."

The owner nodded in affirmation, agreeing with her.

"As nice as it is to gloat over my win, I must go."

With a cat like smile, Naruto saluted the owner, before walking out of the restaurant.

With a new pep her step, Naruto made her way towards her inn.

As she rounded a corner Naruto ran forward into a wall of mush.

She had sensed the individuals before, but since she was keeping a low profile, she had decided that an ordinary teenager would not be shoving a kunai into the 6 layers of fat that these men were made made out of.

With a girlish squeal, Naruto toppled backwards to the ground allowing gravity to take her down.

Peeking up from half closed eyes, Naruto watched the three large men that stood before her. The largest, Tatsuo stood proudly in the forefront.

Suppressing a frustrated scoff, Naruto forced herself to keep a confused expression on her face.

"Hey!" She cried rubbing her nose, "Tatsuo-san, don't you know you shouldn't be standing still around a corner! You could have given me a concussion!"

Naruto made sure her voice was a squeaky and singsongy as possible.

She wanted to be as annoying as she possibly could.

She was trying to draw a crowd, hoping that would be enough to thwart whatever plans Tatsuo and his cronies cooked up.

No one came.

Where the hell was everyone….

Great. Now she definitely had to deal with this on her own.

'Just cut their throats.'

Thankfully Naruto had already sealed her winnings away, so no amount of shaking would help them retrieve that from her.

She stood brushing the dust from the back of her pants, as she eyed the men warily.

Tatsuo looked extremely flustered with her. He resembled a large sweaty red habanero.

She did have the talent of getting under people's skin.

"How dare you kid! First you steal my money, now you insult me! This," he pats his stomach proudly, "is a work of art and 20 pounds of pure muscle."

Naruto eyes tore open and she cocked her head to the side.

Wut! Nani ?

What fucking muscle?

Naruto sniggered, she couldn't help it

She has seen a lot of abdominal muscles in her lifetime, and that thing, Kami forbid, was not muscle.

His face grew redder.

"Okay whatever you say, Tatsuo san." Naruto bowed quickly. "I must apologize, for I can not keep neither you nor your...friends company, I must be on my way."

"Not with my money!"

"Your money?" Naruto blinked slowly before retorting. "I don't remember you wining, Tatsuo-san."

The man sputtered for a moment.

"That competition was rigged!"

Naruto nodded in understanding.

"Well Tatsuo-san, if you feel so, maybe you should take it with with the organizers." She spoke to him as if he was just a little too slow.

"I will." he answered "But you're coming with me!"

With a pout, Naruto scrunched her nose.

"I don't think I will actually, I must be someplace else at the moment."

With a growl, the large man made to grab for her and instinctively she stepped back with a speed, that would certainly be out of the ordinary for the normal teen she was playing.

Tatsuo narrowed his eyes and made another grab for her. He failed to do so again.

With a winded grunt, he said to his cronies,

"Grab her."

Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of her head, a grin spreading across her lips.

"I don't wanna play this game anymore." Naruto huffed "It's pretty fricken boring."

'Such a liar.'

She did like this game.

The husky men swarmed towards her and Naruto danced out of their reach.

She played the game of three fat cats and a mouse. She even laughed boisterously after a few well placed pokes in each of the men's 'muscle packed' pouch.

Fucking nonsense.

When she was done, the roles reversed.

Naruto being the cat that out ran the overweight mice.

Each man was propped on various surfaces trying to catch their breath,sweating profusely.

"You should think about working out more Tatsuo-san! Mao, maybe next time we can play longer! It was fun!" Naruto laughed, doing a quick bow before racing towards her inn.

*

'What if, we run away,what if we left today, what if we say goodbye, to safe and sound, what if we're hard to find,what if we lost our minds.' -Troy Sivan

Review Please.

Good news everyone Chapter 16 is already halfway written!! So see yah next time!!


	16. Chapter 16 (M)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.

Warning: This chapter contains mature content. Like really, the lemon is finally here. Hopefully you won't be too mad at me. ;)

 **'Bold** '= Naruto's alter

 **Chapter 16- Of Monsters and Men**

It was a celebration.

And Naruto was not sure how she was the one being, celebrated.

"Congrats on your winnings! Who knew you had it in you squirt!"

Usually she would protest at the nickname and the rustling of her hair by the inn keeper but she was baffled.

What were they celebrating again?

Her?

' **So this was where everyone was.'**

The large man laughed at her expression before retreating into the crowd and back around the front desk.

Her face burned in embarrassment as she was happily slapped on her back and cries of congratulations erupted from the party goers.

"Thank God someone finally defeated that man! It was getting on my last nerve how cocky he always acted", a patron laughed across from the crowded room.

"Hear hear!" They all agreed.

"Cheers to Naruto-chan", another yelled.

"Huzzah!"

Flushing brightly Naruto muttered her thanks.

She felt warm. She felt welcomed. This was a new feeling.

And damn did it feel...itchy?

This was the first time anyone had ever thought about throwing a massive celebration for her sake.

Her eyes watered for a bit.

 **'Times up.'**

She wished she could stay longer.

 **'We've stayed here long enough.'**

One more night shouldn't hurt.

They had begun to pay music, they had begun dancing. Their joy and excitement was thrilling, intoxicating.

She watched the room, eyes wide.

"Dance with me."

Naruto snapped her head to the side.

She looked up to see the innkeeper's son, Daisuke.

He was tall, but then again most people were tall for Naruto.

She pursed her lip in thought.

Why would he want to dance with her?

He smiled brightly at her before taking her hand in a loose grip, pulling her to dance floor. Slowly he taught her the steps and quickly she caught on.

Soon she was moving as skillfully as all the other dancers in the room.

He was a tall, muscular youth, almost twice her height, with sparkling green eyes that he inherited from his sweet mother and bronzed skin and dark hair from his caring and jovial father.

Naruto eyes his lips.

'He was always smiling,' she mused.

He flashed a quick cheeky grin. He was dashingly handsome and if she remembered, he was more than a little bit older than her. 19? She couldn't exactly remember.

Naruto lowered her lashes and pink tinged her cheeks.

She knew he liked her, the hints that he had been throwing at her or the last two weeks was in no way subtle.

It was actually amazing that he still thought her attractive after seeing her shovel so much food in her petite body.

The song ended and they parted ways. She barely managed to step away from the dance floor before she was asked to dance again.

This time it was with the owner of the village's bookstore. As she danced, she knew his eyes did not leave her once. When the dance was completed, she wove her way through the crowd, ignoring the calls out to her.

It was getting way too hot, and the many scents and smiles were beginning to overwhelm her.

She just needed a moment.

Just some fresh air.

Naruto knew he followed her out to the porch and she what he wanted as well.

She wasn't that clueless.

"Too much?" he asked, as he plopped down beside her on the porch's steps.

"Ah...no. It's fine. I'm just not used to other people being massive balls of energy other than myself."

"Yeah. I get you." He laughed, as a hollering hoot sounded from inside, "Dad sure knows how to throw a good party."

She nodded, twiddling her thumbs as he took in as much of the fresh air into her lungs.

"So," he began, "I guess you are leaving tomorrow?"

Naruto glanced at him from the corner of her eye and hummed in acknowledgement.

"Did you like it here? Did you like your stay?"

A soft smile ghosted across her lips.

"The most fun I had in a long time."

"Good,"he murmured, inching closer. "I'm glad."

Naruto glanced up at him as he angled his body to face her, his hands, large and warm, cupping her face gently.

For a quick moment, she panicked, but quickly lowered her own eyes, to mirror his own as he pressed a chaste kiss on her lips.

She didn't move, didn't pull away. She allowed herself to relax as he raised her face to a higher angle. He flung his free arm over her shoulder and pulled her flush to his side.

He kissed her again.

This time, it was longer and much more invasive than the first.

His tongue swept across her teeth, tempting her to unclench them. When she did, tongue darted in, lightly grazing hers before wrapping enticingly around hers.

This was grown's man kiss.

The kind of kisses she read about in Ero-sensei's book.

Naruto blushed as red as the tips of her hair, her ears burning, when Daisuke pulled away.

"Cute," he murmured, "Your ears turned red, Naruto-chan."

With a dazed gasp, she cupped her hands over her ears in embarrassment.

"Are you teasing me? " She whispered back huskily.

"Shouldn't I ?" he smirked, eyebrows raised in pseudo-challenge, a large, bright smile on his face.

She raised both her brows, a smirk on her face, before looking away.

God, how could someone smile so brightly.

It was almost unnerving.

' **Hypocrite.'**

"Was that your first kiss?" He asked.

Naruto heart stopped, and unwanted memories bubbled up to the surface. Still she kept her smile.

"You could say that." She answered. "Does it matter?"

"No, I was just curious." He answered.

They fell silent, listening to the sounds of the party.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" he asked.

Her gaze spun back to him, her brows furrowing. He stared at her silently waiting for an answer.

"Can I write to you?" he continued.

' **Looks like he likes us a little bit more than we anticipated.'**

She nodded.

It would be easy to send letters to anyone nowadays. The challenge would be him sending her letters.

"And you'll visit too?"

' **Don't make promises.'**

She hesitated for a moment.

"I'll try." she answered before reaching up and pressing a kiss to his lips.

 **O.M.A.M**

"Sasuke-sama."

Fuji...

He eyed the woman that was kneeling before him.

She was a picture of subservience, small hands folded lightly on creamy ivory thighs. Thick dark hair billowing over one shoulder, covering one breast from view. She sat before him like a queen, but her eyes were lowered.

No one would have believed that weeks before, this woman, had boasted that she would be his master.

And here she was.

Salivating at his feet.

"What?"

Sasuke stood before her, drying the remaining water from his body.

He had just finished his shower.

He should have known she would have come to him. He had heard that she had returned from his mission, and he was the treat that she often rewarded herself with after a successful mission.

She gazes up at him, flushed with desire, her pupils wide as she looked up at her lover in all his glory.

He made no move to cover himself, already used to being naked infront of her.

"I've been good, no?" she asked, licking her lips as she watched the muscles on his form, ripple enticingly.

"Have you?" He asked, peering down at her.

"Yes,I-" she swallowed hard, "I have been! I did everything you asked of me."

He answered her with a grunt before saying, "Very well."

Her sigh of relief was audible, her slender fingers reaching for him before enclosing him in the cool embrace of her hands.

He suppressed a shiver

As usual her hands felt cold to him.

With a moan of happiness, she engulfed him in her mouth, her hands tightening around the base of him.

Her mouth was warm.

It was one of the only thing that was warm about her.

Sasuke watched as glided her hands between her legs, twitching as her fingertips made contact with the center of her core.

With a grunt, she pulled him deeper down her throat, her split tongue cupping his shaft. Sasuke dug his hand into her dark hard, cupping the back of her head as he forced her to pick up the pace.

She mewled in discomfort, but she obeyed, her aim was to always please her Lord.

From the moment she had first laid eyes on him, she knew he was powerful.

She watched through heavily lidded eyes, as his thighs clenched up.

It was her only hint that he was close.

Excitedly, she began pumping faster within her core, curling her fingers to touch the spongy spot that never failed to buckle her knees and make her shake.

A muffled gurgle, bubbled from her throat when he came, her eyes watering for a bit before she too shattered.

"Swallow," he ordered huskily as he pulled away from her.

She nodded languidly, her eyes glazed in pleasure.

She stared up at him before doing what she was ordered to do.

She wanted more.

"Get on the bed," he commanded, spinning back into the attached bathroom.

With a lusty moan she obeyed, posed in her usual position, on her hands and knees.

She dug her fingers into his sheets.

She didn't know for how long she waited.

Mewling in displeasure, she wiggled impatiently, her bottom swaying seductively from side to side.

It was not fair how he always made her wait.

She opened her mouth, ready to call out to him, when she felt, cool rough hands grip her hips, steadying her.

With a gasp, and a moan of satisfaction, she was finally given what she wanted.

'Is it just our bodies? Are we both losing our minds? Is the only reason you're holding me tonight, cause we're scared to be lonely?'- Martin Garrix

 **As usual! Please leave me a review.**


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.

Thank you all for the reviews, it really keeps me going.

 **Chapter 17- Of Monsters and Men**

Well.

This was new.

Naruto sat quickly, her legs swinging as she sat in her up on a ridiculously high couch.

With a scowl, she wondered for a moment if she was ever going to grow.

A young woman entered the lobby, she bowed deeply before speaking, "He will see you now."

Naruto pushed out of her seat, following after the woman. She eyed the woman's long legs enviously.

She scowled to herself, her nose crinkled and she folded her arms across her chest. The one thing that Naruto had finally accepted was her non-existent chest.

Naruto blew hot air through her nose and rolled her eyes as the memory of Jiraya came to her.

" _I heard if you got a boy to feel you up under the moonlight, your breasts will get bigger."_

 _Naruto had lovingly graced him with a punch to his ribs._

"Uzumaki-san," the woman held open a door for her, gesturing for her to enter the room.

She did, expecting the woman to follow her.

She didn't, she only bowed once more before closing the door. Naruto pursed her lips, her eyes glancing around a well furnished office. Her eyes was caught by the slight figure, sitting behind the large desk. The man was pale, his head down, his face obscured by the large hat of Suna's Kazekage. The figure scribbled away at the papers on the desk.

"Uh...Hey?"Naruto called out, confused.

She had asked to see Gaara, why would they lead her to the Kazekage. "Is Gaara around?"

The Kage stopped scribbling and raised his head.

Naruto eeped in surprised as warm teal eyes, looked up at her, crinkling in amusement.

"Yes?" he answered, a slight lit to his voice.

Naruto screeched loudly in disbelief, her fingers pointing accusingly at Gaara's wide grin.

"You!" she bellowed out, scoffing. "What the hell! Since when!?"

Gaara lifted his hat from his head, placing it on the table top the mess of paperwork that was his desk. With a squeal Naruto launched herself across the room leaping over the table and into Gaara's waiting arms.

"Holy Shit." Naruto exclaimed. "Congrats!"

Naruto surprised herself.

She didn't think that she would be this excited, that she would throw herself into his embrace.

Surprised that she was not just 'happy' but also 'very jealous'.

'Why,' she pondered.

With widest grin she could possibly muster, Naruto smiled up at Gaara.

'Was this a good idea? To visit Gaara?'

The red head patted her lightly on her head smiling down at her.

"You look good,"he concluded after a moment of silence, looking her up and down. "Have you been eating well?"

Naruto rolled her eyes, pulling herself from his embrace.

"Yes, I have," she answered. "Dad!"

Gaara smirked slightly and jabbed back with his own insult.

"I was just concerned because it seemed as if you haven't grown much in the last three years."

With an indignant squawk, Naruto punched his arm.

"It only seems that way cause you're freakishly tall! What are they feeding you?" She accused.

Naruto's face was was a red as Gaara's hair when she realized how far back she had to tilt her head just to see his face.

So annoying.

Naruto was irritated Gaara was the only person that was shorter than her when she was younger! How could he grow so much in three years.

Naruto clicked her tongue, choosing to change the subject.

"So, Kazekage..."

"Yes," Gaara replied calmly, "thanks to you."

Naruto sputtered, standing from his embrace.

"Me?"

Gaara cocked his head to the side, confused at her reaction.

"Yes. If it wasn't for you Naruto, I wouldn't be here."

Naruto furrowed her brows in confusion.

"You made me forget my hatred," he continued.

The air rushed out of her lungs and her stomach clenched tightly as if she got socked in it.

Naruto stepped further away from him.

"What are you talking about?"

"You helped showed me what was important in life. You proved to me that my existence was more that just for killing."He frowned sadly at her odd reaction. "Ÿou showed me the importance of friendship and love.

Naruto felt sick, she only managed to nod her understanding, afraid if she opened her mouth, she would vomit all over Gaara's nice clean carpet.

Gaara's eyes sharply watched her, she looked jittery as if her skin was crawling with bugs.

He watched as she kept avoiding all eye contact with him.

He was concerned.

This was not the usual Naruto behaviour.

Gaara knew she would change after the defection of the Uchiha. He had seen her weeks after. In and out of the hospital, she had seem broken and listless.

With a heavy sigh, Gaara spoke.

"Are you hungry? Temari said I should bring you to dinner. She misses you."

Naruto swallowed hard before answering him with a quick nod.

"Don't you have work to do?" she asked glancing at his desk.

"I finished it,"he answered, grabbing his hat from the table and plopping it atop his head. "Let's go."

 **O.M.A.M**

"For the last time Naruto! Stop washing the rice with soap!" Temari tsked at her, shoving the ruined rice into the trash. "That is coming out from your allowance!"

Naruto had been living with the Sand siblings on and off for the last couple of weeks. Some days she'd spend hours exploring the deserts and the town and on other days she would train with anyone that could spare her the time.

For some reason Temari had took up the responsibility of trying to teach Naruto how to cook, declaring that the girl could not keep living on just noodles alone.

"Wut! I didn't! At least not this time!" Naruto whined. "I swear it! I only washed it with water!"

"Right." Temari grumble. "Tell that to the poor rice."

If there was one thing Naruto could say that she has learnt about Temari from the last few weeks was that she was a bloody miser and hated wasting food.

Naruto knew she didn't put soap in the rice this time!

A quick snicker caught her ear, and Naruto swung a glare so deadly, it could have killed.

Kankuro ducked deeper in the couch he was sitting, his head turned away from the kitchen. His shoulders shaking in an effort to smother his laughter.

"OMAGAWD! You dick!" Naruto bellowed. "Don't you have anything better to do?! Go do your makeup or play with your dolls or something!"

Bare-faced, Kankuro, flipped her the bird, pretending to pick his nose.

"Don't know what you are talking about." he answered.

Naruto knew this was his answer to her switching his face paint with the special concoction she made. She had told him that it was a new facial cleanser, that she had gotten him on her to travel to the land of the Hot Springs. For three days, the sand nin was forced to wear a full face mask, hide indoors and shun the light of day.

It was hilarious.

In her defense, he did get some days off work and he should be more appreciative!

So what if, his face looked like it was mauled by bees.

With a snarl, she launched herself over the kitchen counter and into Kankuro.

They both tumbled from the couch to floor.

"Don't you guys dare break anything else!" Temari screamed over the fray.

"Now, now you kids, don't fight," Gaara said in the usual monotone, used to his siblings bickering by now.

"She's biting me! Make her stop!"

"Stop snitching!"

"You fuckin' bitch. Argh!"

Gaara knew exactly how to break this fight up.

"Naruto...pudding."

The strange chomping sounds stopped, and Naruto's head popped up from behind the couch.

Gaara had recently found another one of her weaknesses; vanilla pudding.

She leapt to her feet, sidestepping the swipes Kankuro swung at her ankles.

Her fingers twitched excitedly, "Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme."

Gaara tossed her the package.

"Thanks." she answered, sweeping back to the kitchen as she ripped open the pudding pouch. With a heavy sigh Temari threw her a spoon and watched as shove a large spoonful down her gullet.

She smiled brightly, a drastic difference to fake ones she used to dish out when she first visited them.

"So, how was your day?" she asked between spoonfuls of pudding.

"The usual," he answered, "barely managed to avoid the council."

He watched as she cleaned the plastic cup of the last morsel before placing the spoon on her nose, and she crossing her eyes.

If Gaara hadn't known better, he would have said that she was not listening to him.

"That's gross Naruto, take that off." Temari hissed as she flicked the shorter girl's ear. She winced before slipping the spoon into the sink.

"You can't avoid them forever Kazekage-sama." Temari hummed to him watching him curiously.

"I'll do it for as long as I can." He answered back.

"What are they hounding you so much for?" Temari asked.

Gaara pursed his lips before answering. He could never avoid uncomfortable subjects with his older sister, she or Naruto would eventually pester him to spill the beans.

"They think it's time for me to start looking for a suitable spouse."

The sound of a classic spit take greeted his ears, and everyone turned to look over at Kankuro, his eyes wide.

"Gross." Naruto murmured under her breath.

"What the hell," tsked Temari.

Gaara wasn't sure if they were reacting to the news or to Kankuro's reaction. It was appropriate for both….

"What the hell isn't that too early!" Kankuro asked as he wiped his mouth. "Shit, man, I leave you for a few days, and they are already over stepping damn boundaries."

"So what did you say?" Naruto asked.

Gaara shrugged. "Told them I would think about it."

Naruto shrugged too. "I guess that's good enough."

"I guess so too."

 **O.M.A.M**

It wasn't enough.

"Lord Kazekage-sama. We are only looking out for the best of your interest."

"I'm sure you are,"Kankuro grumbled darkly as he shook his head. "But as he said, this is something that he has to think about."

Gaara pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed at the bickering that was happening around him. He took a deep breath, preparing to speak as the door to his office swung open.

"Gaara-kun. I thought you said you were going to give me a tour of the village. Are you already breaking promises to me?"

Naruto swept into the room, a large smile on her face, and she was dressed to impress.

Temari must have helped her.

If he had any eyebrows they would have disappeared into his hairline. Naruto was wearing a dress, her hair was loosened and allowed to flow freely over her shoulders, curling down her back.

"Ehhh sorry! I did not know anyone else was in here." she squeaked, covering her mouth in embarrassment.  
Even her nails were neatly groomed, coated with a light shade of pink nail polish.

What was happening. Did she lose a bet? He told her to stop gambling with his older sister.

The blush crept up higher on her face and she eyed the council members before bowing deeply.

"Forgive my manners."

"Naruto, what are you doing. I am in no mood for your games right now." Kankuro started.

She shot him a look through the corner of her eye and he got the message, 'Be quiet.'

"Is this a bad time?" she queried, turning large blue eyes to the older gentlemen.

"No, of course not," one of the council members finally spoke up, his eyes sparkling "In fact we were just meaning to leave."

Gaara's forehead creased deeply as he watched the small blond girl, slowly wound the three elders around her finger. She flashed a brilliant smile as she thanked them profusely for understanding.

Gaara glanced over at his brother, hoping for a bit of clarity.

Kankuro stood silently watching Naruto, a slight frown on his face.

"Before we leave Naruto-chan, can we ask you a rather personal question?"

She nodded quickly.

"Who are you to our beloved Kazekage-sama?" Elder Baki asked.

Naruto eyes grew wider and she began stutter, glancing at Gaara quickly before staring back up into the face of the Elder.

"Oh, no one important!" She flushed brighter as she twiddled her thumbs and bit her lower lip.

The Elders shared a quick look, before nodding to each other.

Elder Yura shot him a knowing look and Gaara pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes.

"I see why you were so hesitant about our meeting Kazekage-sama." The man spoke as he and his companions left his office.

A moment of silence... then the sound of a quick shuffle of hand movements.

Naruto casted a privacy seal.

"End scene." Naruto huffed as she scratched the back of her neck, gliding over to sit on the edge of desk.

"What was that?" Gaara asked. "What just happened?"

"What she just did, was buy you sometime." Kankuro answered, watching Naruto with something akin to admiration. "Nice job, kid."

"Yes siree." She answered with nonchalant shrug. "That should keep them happy for a while."

Kankuro shot her a thumbs up.

"Could you please fill me in," Gaara sighed.

"Nothing to worry about," she answered, "I just let them think we were secretly dating."

"Why would you do that?"

"Don't worry about why, just know that when the right lady comes along, I'll gracefully step aside," she laughed.

'The trouble-it might drag you down. If you get lost you will always be found. Just know you're not alone. 'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home.'- Phillip Phillips

 **Well, that's that.**

 **Things are happening. Don't forget to leave a review. Also I am looking for a beta reader, if anyone is interested in helping me out.**

 **Laters.**


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